Of Blood And Chaos
by Dagonian
Summary: Set during the second invasion of the Burning Legion, Warcraft 3. Rated M for later chapters. R&R.
1. Chapter 1: A Certain Feeling

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Blizzard or anything they made. I just own this story and the characters I made up

NOTE: this is NOT based on WoW. It is based on Warcraft III (So might at one point think: Hey! priests can't do that in WoW!) It begins just after the Warsong clan has build it's first settlement (Which is just after: "Chapter 4: The Spirits Of Ashenvale" if anyone who has ever played Warcraft III wants to know.) Other than that, I won't give away anything else about the story.

It seems the lines I previously used to seperate parts of the story are no longer working. I think most of you know that. Instead I am going to try to put "# # # #" were the lines should be. If they dont work, well it shouldn't be to hard to tell the parts apart.

So, let's get on with it.

**# # # #  
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Of Blood and Chaos**

**Chapter 1: A Certain Feeling**

"_What on Dreanor is that! _One of the younger grunts had said. _I be sensin__' great power emanating from it, mon! _A Which doctor mentioned. _AGH! It__'s a tree, like any other, cut it down! _Our great Chieftain had answered to that." Nielak Was telling a story to some of the young orclings.

"Ah! Daddy, you have told us that story ten times already. We want to hear something new." The oldest of Nielak's three children protested.

"I didn't tell it that many times, did I?"

"Enough for us to now exactly how it ends"

"Ya mon!" A troll child peeped in a high voice. "They cut the big tree of magic down an' then scare them purple elves away."

"We want to hear something new, dad."

For a moment nothing was heard in the large tent as everybody looked at Nielak. The large tent served many purposes in the budding Warsong clan settlement. As it stood almost central in the largest of four sites where buildings and tents had been erected it was used for important meetings concerning coming battles or just important decisions about the settlement itself. Through the settlement ran a river, which in places was shallow and allowed passage to the other side without the need for bridges. On the west side of the river there were three sites were Orcs and trolls worked together on building their new settlement. On the east side was the largest site which most of the young children of the Warsong clan called their home.

"Aright then, what story do you want to hear? How our people came through the dark portal to this world. Or how about the story of how Thrall rallied what was left of the free Orcs and freed those in the human internment camps?"

"We heard all of those before. We want to hear something we never heard before!" A slightly older orcling said. This young Orc came to listen to Nielak's story's almost every evening, as did many of the young children, even trolls came to listen to his stories, even though most of the time the stories told of a time from before the trolls joined the Horde.

"But I already told you all the stories I know. If you want to hear a new one I will have to make one up."

"Than make one up!" The older orcling said and he was supported by many of the other children present.

"I can't just make a good story up, that will take time."

"Than tell them about yourself, from before Thrall came around and began the liberation of our people." Nielak's best friend, Talgrun, said. Talgrun was one of the somewhat older Orcs. He had been born on Dreanor, which was something not many could say of themselves. Black hair decorated the top of Talgrun's head. In it were a few streaks of premature grey, further increasing the feeling that he was a lot older than the rest. Grey tinted eyes lay in deep eye sockets with some beginning wrinkles around them, but the rest of his face was smooth, except for a few scars, the most prominent of which crossed the nasal bone.

"Nah, that's not very interesting for them. But maybe YOU can tell them a story."

"The only story I know is about myself, and that is a to long and dull story for small kids like you." The story Talgrun revered to was indeed a long one, but not necessarily a dull one. Talgrun had not been born a Warsong Orc. He had been born in the Bleeding Hollow clan, which had been one of the few clans to come out of the second war between Orcs and humans largely intact. The Bleeding Hollow chieftain, Killrog Dead-eye, eventually led an Exodus through the Dark Portal back to their home world. That was when Talgrun's story had really started. During the Exodus he had been gravely wounded and was not able to make it through the portal. Despite his wound he managed to evade capture by the humans and than continued evading them for months, until he was finally captured after having travelled weeks to the lands north of the Dark Portal. He had been transported to one of the Internment camps, just south of Lordearon. After weeks in one of those camps he managed to escape and find a Warsong scouting party.

"Alright then. Maybe we have had enough stories for today. You should go to your parents now." Nielak told the children. "Come on, go!" He said with a bit more energy when none of the kids moved.

While protesting the children stood up and left the tent. When about half had left an Orc soldier in full battle armour came pushing through the throng. "Talgrun! Nielak!" Both recognised the voice as belonging to Malkak, A hot-headed act-before-think young grunt. Sure enough Malkak seemed upset about something.

"What is it?" Talgrun asked.

"Our group is to report to Krizslak tomorrow. They are doubling the guards because of those elves. Scouts have found tracks and one group of scouts had a small skirmish with them." The group Malkak was referring to consisted of the three of them and nine more, Krizslak was a shaman put in command of the group. Malkak often got into trouble by insulting someone before he could stop himself and therefore had to stand guard more often, something which was not a very popular thing amongst Orc warriors who preferred open combat, instead of waiting for the enemy to attack.

Nielak had to crack a smile at what Malkak must be thinking of him needing to stand guard almost every day, while Talgrun just had a brooding look on his face. "You must love to stand on guard some more!" Nielak teased.

Malkak looked ready jump onto Nielak and smash the latter's face into the ground. Before that could happen Talgrun stepped between them like a wall. Being the biggest of the three he could be a big obstacle to overcome, even for a hot-headed youth like Malkak. "Malkak calm down and Nielak, watch what you see to him." Talgrun said in a calm voice. "They are probably right, putting more guards up. If they see increasingly more of those mysterious elves it might mean they are going to attack." His calm and sensible words had a calming effect on both of them.

Fortunately the last of the children had left the tent before Talgrun had said the last, or else they might have to worried for their parents, a lot of which were either soldiers or the lower cast worker peons which the soldiers needed to protect.

"We're Warriors! Not some weak-willed peons who are only good for low tasks! We would be a lot better of without having to look after them, so we can just drive those purple elves from these lands." Malkak Shouted, but he was clearly calming down.

"The peons are the ones who make our weapons and armour and our food. No matter what you say, we still need them." Talgrun said in a still calm voice. But in contrary to Talgrun, almost all warriors overlooked that fact and just saw the Orcs who did not have the strength of will or body to become a warrior.

Malkak mockingly left the tent. "Sometimes he can be just like an Orcling." Nielak remarked. "Well, I'd better check on the kids, see if they have gone to their mom as I told the." Nielak said, referring to his own children. "Guard duty tomorrow. . ." was the last thing Talgrun heard as Nielak left the tent.

Talgrun was left alone to his thoughts. It did not sit well that there had been increased sightings of the elf folk. There were probably many times more elves than those they had seen, because the elves were masters of stealth. Talgrun had seen how it could seem like there was nothing in a bush, even if you looked at it very hard, while in fact there sat one of those elves with a bow at the ready.

He shook the thoughts of and headed outside. A blanket of darkness had descended upon the Ashenvale forest were the settlement lay. Torches lit the area, casting shadows on the ground in all directions. Most of the trees in the area had been cut down to serve for construction of the many buildings which were being erected everywhere. Barracks's for troops, Watchtowers and a great many pig farms. But the trees that still stood were immense. The older trees stood many times higher than the average watchtower.

From one of the Barracks's stepped an Orc whom then purposefully walked towards Talgrun. As the figure walked through the light of a torch the grim features of the aging shaman Krizslak became visible. As Krizslak came within a few steps, Talgrun saluted to the greying Orc.

Krizslak in turn saluted, although with less vigour, as if something was troubling him. "Talgrun, just the one I needed to see. I trust that hothead. . . What was his name? Anyway, I trust he told you the group is on guard tomorrow?"

"He did. Nielak was there to, so the whole group probably knows by now."

"Good. Since you are my second in command I will fill you in on more of the details, which the young Orc couldn't give you. He spoke of small skirmishes?" Even while Krizslak was speaking he seemed distracted by something, as if something pulled on his consciousness. On more than one occasion he looked around and peered into the darkness.

"Yes, he did speak of small skirmishes." Talgrun responded in his usual calm voice. But the fact that Krizslak was so distracted could not be a good thing. Krizslak was not know to be easily distracted.

"But he didn't say skirmishes against what."

"What do you mean? There are other enemies than those elves? Humans?"

"Those skirmishes were not fought against elves. The scouts said that it was as if everything in the forest turned against them. The local wildlife turned against them without provocation. Some even spoke of the trees coming alive! Although I think that last is a bit. . . Unlikely. Probably just shadows playing tricks on them while they were fighting of the wildlife. All I am saying is, be prepared for anything!"

"Even demons falling from the sky?" Talgrun grinned after he said that.

"Even that." The grin quickly faded away.

On one of the higher branches of a tree sat a young Night-Elven woman. In her left hand she held a wooden board with a piece of parchment spread over it. In her right she held a pencil. In front of her was a gap in the leaves, as if some giant plant eating creature had taken a large bite from the tree's crown of leaves and branches. The Night Elf's right hand guided the pencil in fast streaks across the parchment, putting the general lines of the landscape in front of her on the parchment. Opportunities to look at a landscape in the way she was looking at it now were few, since the Night Elf was actually above the trees. The tree in which the Night Elf sat stood right on the edge of a cliff, giving a view of the valley below. So this opportunity could not have been foregone by the Night Elf in question.

The landscape she was looking at mainly consisted of a see of green, but in the distance a large waterfall connected two different levels of water. It was this that she concentrated on. Her agile fingers quickly put the general outlining of several Ashenvale trees on the parchment. A few crude cliffs were next.

"Xani! Are you here!" A voice rang out in the distance. Multiple times it repeated. The one who was shouting zigzagged between trees covering as much ground as possible. Xani did not feel like answering, she still had a landscape to draw. As the figure came closer Xani saw it was a woman, a Night Elf like herself. With the characteristic pointy ears and purple skin it was hard to think she was anything else. Besides that, she could see dark blue hair, almost black, woven into a tail bouncing of her back.

The figure stopped right under the branch Xani was sitting on. The figure twisted her neck as if she had neck pains. Doing so made her look into Xani's direction. "There you are! What are you doing up there?"

"I am busy, Chereesa." Xani replied Without looking at Chereesa.

"You are always busy when you are sitting somewhere on your own far away from the camp. Are you drawing again?"

"What do you think I am doing?"

"That means drawing. Come down will you, Kaylin needs to talk to you, again."

"Alright, give me a moment." With a few last lines on the parchment she decided she had the necessary basic lines to finish the drawing without having to return here. She had an almost perfect memory for remembering pictures and such, so she could remember any details that were necessary. And if she couldn't remember something she could just make something up herself.

Grudgingly Xani packed her materials in a bag she had used bring the materials there in the first place and climbed down. She didn't like being disturbed while drawing, even if it had to do with her duties. "What does she want to talk about this time?" She asked on the way down.

"Same thing as last time. . ."

"What?" She jumped the last few feet down. "I didn't do anything wrong! Did I?" She said angrily.

"We were not supposed to go away from the camp for this week, no one was allowed to." Chereesa explained.

"Maybe they should put information like that on a note and put that somewhere public, so everybody can see it."

"I think they did, but only after you had left this morning." Chereesa began walking back the way she came. Xani immediately began walking as well.

"Then why didn't you tell her that?"

"I didn't get a chance to, she ordered me away before I could say anything."

"Why am I not surprised?" Kaylin had the reputation for being harsh, grizzled and unrelenting. But that happens to most people who have experienced the things she has. Having fought of the first invasion of the burning legion and fighting in several other wars since then, she had seen things most couldn't dream of, even in their worst nightmares.

It remained quiet a long while. They had to walk for some time before they found the road. Already the sun was halfway it's descend toward the horizon. Xani was the first one to speak up. "So how did you find me? I didn't stick to the roads."

"Well, First I found someone who could tell me you had gone down the road to the west. So I followed it and after some time found a set of tracks your size break away from the road. I followed them, eventually lost them when you passed over some rocky ground. But I figured you wouldn't try to leave no tracks, so I just went on in the same direction and eventually found you."

"You were always a good tracker." Xani said with a smile. Chereesa being a good tracker didn't have anything to do with it, although she was a good tracker. Anyone able to see an obvious set of tracks could have found where Xani had gone.

"So what have you been drawing up in that tree?" Chereesa asked after it had been quiet for some time.

Xani pulled the parchment from her bag and gave it to her. "I didn't have a long time to work on it, you found me just after I had started."

"Hmm, really nice, What's this?" Chereesa pointed at what was going to be the waterfall.

"That is going to be the waterfall. I don't see how you can say it's nice, it's far from finished."

Chereesa merely grinned and said, "I know it's going to be nice. Anything you draw ends up being at least a near artwork."

"That's only because you haven't seen any failed drawings."

The rest of the trip back to the camp was uneventful. It was already nearing complete darkness when they arrived. As they came over the top of a small rise they had a good view of the size of the camp. It was clearly a military camp, there were no gardens, no decorations and all buildings were placed as efficiently as possible around a central square. The typical Night Elven architecture was a mix of existing trees combined with man-made additions. This same architecture was seen in the buildings where the Night Elven troops slept. From the top of the rise they could see many of five such buildings around the square. No torches light the pathways between those buildings, Night Elves had superb vision in the dark and, except on the darkest of nights, didn't need torches. Here and there guards patrolled, even though it was unlikely anything was going to happen.

When they walked down into the camp they tried to pass the small house which Kaylin had taken as her own. Xani would have sworn that they hadn't made a single noise, still Kaylin's voice rang out, "Is that you Xani! If it is you, get in here."

"Good luck." Chereesa said as she quickly made herself scarce.

Xani let her shoulders hang for a moment and looked at the ground. What had she done to deserve all this. Kaylin knew Xani had gone out before, sometimes staying away a few days. As a child she always had the desire to become an artist, her parents had agreed with her at the time. She had shown talent in several things like drawing, painting and the likes. Only one thing had held her away from actually becoming a real artist. Her more than average healing gifts. When her parents had found out about them they had begun to doubt their child's calling. Maybe she was supposed to be a priestess devoted to the temple of Elune, the Night Elven goddess. In the end she ended up becoming a priestess.

Still, a priestess normally stayed in the city, near a temple. But in more recent times several powerful individuals had sensed a certain magical foulness in the air. Some of those who had sensed it thought it might have something to do with demons, or, as Chereesa sometimes referred to it, 'at least something unpleasant'. Because it was uncommon for several powerful figures to sense such things, the military was put on alert. A few priests were spread here and there amongst the different groups to provide healing power, should anything go wrong.

Xani straitened up and walked into the poorly lit house. She kept silent waiting for Kaylin to start a speech in her usually harsh voice. The only thing she could see were a pair of glowing eyes which belonged to Kaylin. Every Night Elf had glowing eyes, some said that those with the rare golden glow were destined for great things. Kaylin and Xani both had the normal silver glow.

Without saying anything Kaylin light a small candle which burned with more light than was usual for such a small candle, undoubtedly through use of magic. Kaylin herself was not gifted in any kind of magic, so the candle was probably imbued by someone else and than given to Kaylin.

The light forced Xani to blink several times, to adjust to the light. In between blinks Xani saw Kaylin was staring at her with unblinking eyes, apparently resisting the, to Xani, powerful urge to blink. Kaylin's white hair shined in the candlelight. Xani could see Kaylin's pupils narrowing because of the light. Kaylin looked a lot older with the light casting shadows around her eyes and the few wrinkles, which had started to come up in the last few years.

The Night Elven race had been bound to the World Tree when the first invasion of the burning legion had been defeated. The Night Elves had been granted immortality through that bond. Night Elven children simply aged up to a certain point and then stopped aging.

The saying 'you're only as old as you think you are' seemed particularly fitting for Kaylin. She looked a lot older than others of exactly the same age. Probably a result of all the things she had seen. This apparent age was increased with the shadows now dancing across her face.

She suddenly looked away and in an unusually pleasant voice she said, "What do you think gives you the right to disobey orders everybody else has to follow? I had officers tell everybody in the camp, there were even notes put up." She looked up again, directly into Xani's eyes, eyes narrowing and anger clearly in them. Her voice returned to it's normal harshness. "Nothing gives you that right! Please, enlighten me on your reasons."

"I didn't--"

"No, don't say it, it's always the same. It is that the amount of priests relocated to the army is so low, else I would have replaced you long ago. Hmmpf, how many times have we had this conversation? And only because you need to go out and make some pretty _drawings_, there plenty of places in and around the camp for that."

"But--" She was going to say she already been to those, but Kaylin cut her of again.

"Don't interrupt! I am not done yet. Well, actually I am. I hope you can prove to me why I have been putting up with this childish insubordination of yours soon. Now, get out of my house!" Leave she did, as quickly as she could. As if an afterthought Kaylin shouted after her, "And don't give me reason to have this conversation _again_!"

As she entered the dark building where she was housed a thought struck Xani about what Kaylin had said. Kaylin said she hoped for Xani to prove why she had been putting up with Xani. Did that mean Kaylin wanted some war to break out? Xani hoped Kaylin didn't mean it like that, but she didn't think it impossible.

Chapter 2: should be up within hours from now.


	2. Chapter 2: Rampaging Trees

Minutes would have been a better word. Anyway, title says a lot about this chapter.

**Chapter 2: Rampaging Trees**

Besides the chopping and sawing noises reverberating through the forest, nothing made a noise. No birds sang, no branches cracked underneath the feet or hoofs of local animal life. And this change had happened almost overnight. It was as if the Orcish peons had scared all the animals away while they were cutting down more trees to build their settlement.

This was only an advantage to Talgrun. It meant that any sounds heard which did not come from the orcish workers were most likely from the elves. However, to most of the other orcish warriors it was unsettling. Now, even though orcish warriors were among the most fearless, the smallest sound made them nervous.

As Malkak had said their group was on guard. Some distance away Talgrun could see Malkak standing near a group of working peons. He seemed to use every chance he got to berate one of the peons for sloppy work, or to just insult them. While the Warchief of the Horde had promoted equal treatment for everyone, those decisions did not carry as much weight when he wasn't around however. And the chieftain of the Warsong clan, Gromm Hellscream didn't really try to maintain those decisions in the Warchief's absence, but it could be that the chieftain was just to busy with building settlements and such. Talgrun liked to think of it that way. And even if Malkak was being horrible toward the peons, Nielak was standing only a few paces away, ready to intervene if Malkak went to far.

In fact Malkak was going to far again. He had a peon on his knees before him and was shouting something unintelligible at him. He was already raising his hand in preparation to hit the peon in the face, when Nielak's hand came down on Malkak's shoulder. If Malkak was an inflated baloon, than Nielak's gentle touch was a needle. Almost instantly Malkak calmed down and turned away to watch the edge of the forest for any elves that might be lurking there. When Nielak was sure Malkak wasn't turning around to charge the peon, he extended a hand and helped the worker up.

"Will he ever learn?" Said the warrior just beside Talgrun, saying what Talgrun was thinking. He looked at the one who had said it. It was Garona, a female named after the to some famous and to others infamous stealth expert of the first war between humans and orcs. While this Garona relied a lot more on speed and being more agile than her male counterparts, she was nowhere as stealthy as the old Garona, nor did she really want to be. There were no laws or rules against female orcs as soldiers, there never had been, but it was just unusual. Even now with the Warchief promoting equal treatment, female warriors were still few, although more and more became warriors.

"He will probably never learn." Talgrun said in a even voice.

Confident that he didn't have to go over there to keep Malkak in check, Talgrun resumed his watch over the forest. To his surprise an owl was sitting on a branch directly in front of him. It looked at him intently, cocking it's head slightly to the side. The only times he had seen owls was during the night. And now that all other animals were gone, it seemed even more strange. It's head returned to a normal position and then turned to look across the clearing at the other orcs, almost as if it was scouting. Then it suddenly took to the air again.

Midday passed without anything happening. Talgrun was still guarding the same post when a warrior came striding towards him. "Senior Sergeant Talgrun! Can I have a word with you?" Senior Sergeant was Talgrun's rank.

Talgrun saw that the warrior coming up to him was a grunt, the normal rank and by far the most common, but Talgrun wasn't much for being so formal and thus didn't use ranks with soldiers of lower rank, only when talking to superiors he used the proper formalities. "of course you may speak. What is it that made you abandon your post?" Implying that someone had abandoned his post almost an insult. Abandoning your post was something you didn't do unless ordered to do so, or facing impossible odds, if you abandoned your post for any other reason it was dishonourable.

The grunt seemed unaffected by the insult, apparently having a good reason to abandon his post. "There was this owl. . . sitting on a branch. . . and it kept looking at me and the others." The grunt was speaking nervously, but was obviously trying to hide that nervousness. It was embarrassing to be nervous of such trivial things as an owl in the trees, unless there was more. An owl had been looking at Talgrun and the others around him as well.

"You let an owl _scare _you away?" It was a harsh insult to imply a warrior was scared of anything. It was clear on the other orcs face that he did take this one as an insult, but he couldn't speak up against a superior. Mostly anything implying a warrior was anything less than fearless and honourable was an insult.

While the orc was still clearly trying to keep his anger in check he said, "Just come take a look, I am sure you'll see what I mean."

Talgrun signalled for Garona to stay sharp and not let anything surprise her while he was away to take a look. On their way to the other orcs post they came across Nielak and Malkak. Talgrun momentarily stopped to tell them the same thing as he told Garona, he then moved on again.

The other orc's station was just on the other side of an outcropping of trees that seemed to extend from the forest like a grasping arm, trying to cleave the clearing in half. Another orc was there as well. They all worked in guard groups of two, so if there was anything to report, one could go to an officer while the other stayed behind. The orc who had stayed behind saluted as Talgrun came into view.

"The owl was sitting right of there. It was looking in that direction. Every now and then it would look around the clearing." The orc who had reported to him waved his arms around to indicate the field of view of the owl.

As Talgrun saw the field of view indicated by the orc and a thought developed in his mind. But for that to be true he needed more proof. He walked back some distance so he could see where the orc had said that the owl was sitting and where the owl he had seen himself had been sitting, several hundred feet away. He could see that the fields of view for both owls were totally different, giving view of different parts of the clearing where the workers were busy. There was only one thing missing, in between the two locations was a part neither of the owls could have seen.

If he was right about his thoughts, and he hoped he wasn't because it probably meant an attack was under way, then the only reason that he had found out was because this nervous orc had reported something that would normally have seemed trivial. He turned to the orc and said, "You did well to report it, now stay here with him," He pointed at the orc who had stayed behind, "And keep the area safe."

After having said that he abruptly turned and ran to the top of a low hill to get a good look of the situation. _If those elves are using owls for scouting, than there should have another owl around there_. He looked at a few young trees about in between the two locations where he had just been. Near those trees was a guard group which might have noticed the owl, but didn't find it necessary to report. It would be his best chance to proof his theory.

With long strides he walked towards the guard group. One of the two guards noticed him and saluted. Before the orc could begin any formal sentence relevant to Talgrun's rank, Talgrun asked, "Have you seen any owls in the trees around those trees?" Talgrun pointed toward the young trees.

Momentarily the young orc looked dumbfounded. He quickly regained his posture looked at the trees for a moment, then turned back to Talgrun and answered, "I didn't see any owls around those trees, only one in them." The orc replied with a smile.

As a reply Talgrun made a face indicating he really wasn't in the mood for humour at the moment. "Good, that was all I needed to know." He turned again and began looking for Krizslak. The two orcs both looked like they were questioning his sanity, but quickly returned to their duties.

It wasn't difficult to find Krizslak, he was standing on top of a hill, giving him view of the whole clearing where the workers were busy taking the branches of trees and using saws to cut them into straight pieces, which could be easier used in construction. Krizslak, as a shaman, didn't use the same armour as the warriors. In contrast to the warrior's thick spiked asymmetrical shoulder plating mixed with leather to cover the chest and legs, Krizslak wore the normal white furred shaman robes. Instead of an axe, which the warriors use, A pair of artificial claws protruded from a pair of white furred gloves. All in all it looked like Krizslak was wearing a white wolf's skin. On the back of his robes the Warsong clan's mark had been painted in purple, It was a menacing looking open mouth with a few sharp pointy teeth in it. Purple was the Warsong clan's favoured colour. The shoulder plating of the warriors was also painted in purple, so everybody would know to which clan a warrior belonged.

Krizslak eyes were hidden away behind a wolf's head, which served as a sort of helmet, Talgrun always wondered how much protection something like that would give. The lower jaw of the wolf's head had been removed so someone's head could fit underneath the head. In the place where the wolf's eyes used to be, red lights glowed. Talgrun thought those lights must be what anyone wearing such a mask sees with, for the light seemed to be berating him for leaving his post.

"I saw you walking around down there, going from post to post. Why didn't you stay at your own?" Krizslak asked in a stern voice.

Talgrun saluted and immediately began explaining, "We may have a problem." The red lights blinked on and of for a moment and then seemed to spur him to explain. "Owls were spotted in several trees along the edge of the forest."

"Owls. . . And this is a problem?"

"It might be since there were three, in three locations, each over seeing different parts of the clearing. Together they could see the whole clearing." When Talgrun got the feeling that Krizslak wasn't convinced, he added, "Owls are creatures of the night. And have you listened to the sounds other than the chopping noises?"

The words seemed to be going around in Krizslak, being analysed in all ways possible. Finally Krizslak's lips contracted in deep thought. All of this took place in a few scant seconds. "This might indeed be a problem. Tell the workers to stay away from the woods and only let them work on the trees already cut down. Pull the warriors back along with them, get them as far away from any potential arrows as possible without needing to slow down the work of the peons. I'll speak to the commanders." Krizslak saluted, slapping his fist against his chest, turned and ran towards a watchtower in the distance, where a commander would be, overseeing the work of several groups of peons and warriors.

Talgrun didn't feel the need to salute, since Krizslak had already turned away and was running away. Instead he ran straight back down towards the first group of guards and workers. He saw it was Nielak and Malkak. "We need to escort these workers away from the trees. There might be an imminent attack. Nielak you take these workers back as far as you can that direction," He pointed towards the hill, "and Malkak, you go in that direction and tell all the guards you come across to do the same, then come back here. Understood! Than I'll go in the other direction and tell those guards."

"What!" Malkak shouted. "_Escort _this lowlife scum! I say we stay and fight anything coming from those woods."

Before Talgrun could reply anything he noticed a dark smudge in the corner of his eye racing towards him. He turned to looked at it. This act saved his life, the arrow that was meant to pierce his temple now only grazed the side of his face. Apparently the elves figured out that they were found out.

Malkak immediately let out a fierce roar and raised his massive battleaxe, ready to do battle.

"MALKAK! Do as I told you, despite what you may think, there are not an infinite amount of workers to replace those that die here, or you of course want to do the work yourself. If anything, I am still your SUPERIOR! And I will stay your superior for the rest of your most likely short life if you continue like this!" Sometimes pulling rank was the only thing that worked with Malkak.

Another arrow shot forth from the bushes and hit a peon in stomach. The peons had been listening to the conversation and were already gathering their things. Nielak raced over the stricken peon and helped him up, then began shouting towards them to get a move on. Grudgingly Malkak turned and ran, to fulfil his orders.

Nielak looked at Talgrun for a moment and nodded that everything would be alright with his charges. Talgrun in turn nodded and then started towards the other guard groups. It didn't take long to get everyone away from the woods. They gathered on the hill to wait for orders from Krizslak. In the distance they could see other groups doing the same thing.

Besides Talgrun's grazing shot and the peon's stomach wound, they had lost two peons, both dead with arrows in their backs, and one warrior to a shot in the back of his head. All of them shot while retreating to the top of the hill. And by the looks of the hurt peon, they were going to be down one more soon. One of his fellow peon had pulled out the arrow, something that might have been a questionable act, since the arrow had acted as a sort plug to keep the blood in. Now the dark purple-red blood was flowing out of him freely. The same peon that had pulled the arrow had now ripped a piece of cloth from the sleeve of his working tunic and was pressing against the wound with force to keep the blood from pouring out.

Talgrun felt a slight numbness on the side of his face, as if the muscles and nerves were relaxing without his permission. He felt the area for a moment and was surprised that the skin in that location didn't feel anything. _Maybe some sort of poison? _He walked over to the bleeding peon. Besides the peon lay the bloody arrow. He picked it up, hoping to see some indication of what sort of poison it might be. He could see nothing odd about the arrow, except of course that it was drenched in blood.

Looking down at the peon he saw the effects of the poison when hit with more of it. The peon was barely moving, looked pale, he hadn't lost that much yet to become pale, his breathing was shallow and a tired look was present in his eyes. _Perhaps it effects the muscles._ His shoulder began feeling numb and the numbness crept further down his right arm. _This might become a problem if we need to fight._

That fight was about to show itself. Not far from where they were waiting, a small crop of trees still stood as if to defy the orcish axes to cut them down. They weren't very tall, very young. They stood barely two times higher than the average orc, this was probably the reason why they hadn't been cut down, to small. Their branches began moving, making cracking noises, but not breaking. Then their trunks bended downward at an impossible angle. The trunks bend back up with a much higher speed than should be possible. As they reached the top of their up ward swing the roots suddenly burst out of the ground, throwing rocks and earth around.

The orcs just stood there, amazed by the spectacle before, while the trees formed a small line. They formed like soldiers before the orcs. They totalled seven. The orcs that had regained their senses were raising their weapons to fend of attacks, should the trees suddenly attack. By the time the trees did indeed began marching towards the still surprised orcs it had occurred to most of the orcs that this was some sort of trick from elves, so they had all raised their battleaxes and some were even shouting battle cries. Their cries however, seemed a bit less certain than usual.

In the distance Talgrun could see the same thing happening, trees getting out of the ground and then rushing towards the orcs. He refocused his attention on his own surroundings. "Fan out! We outnumber them! Don't let any of them past us! You," He pointed back towards the peons, "get you axes and make sure none survive if they get past us!"

The trees were not far away now, and they were increasing speed. One of the peons spoke up against the order. "We're not soldiers, we are only good for chopping trees, as you grunts remind us often enough of!"

This hit a sensitive spot with Malkak, who was close enough to overhear. He was about to turn around when his common sense told him to focus on the walking trees about attack him.

Talgrun wasn't in the mood for sarcasm, but he would not let this peon make his point. "Only good for chopping trees?" He looked back towards the _trees_ coming for them, "I don't see any problem." He said dryly. He picked up a small axe used for cutting down trees and threw it towards the peon, who caught it in one hand and smiled at the returned sarcasm. Talgrun was pleased he didn't need to tell the other peons, for they were also picking up their axes.

As he turned back towards the real soldiers he saw there was only a distance of about twenty feet left between them and the trees. The argument between him and the peon had taken to much time. His surprise to find the trees so close to them already was quickly overcome by the need to do something. "Charge!" The extra momentum for the orc grunts would give their axes some more penetration when they hit the first time. Sure enough when the two parties met branches, and in one case and entire trunk, were cut right of. The trees attacked with their branches in powerful, but slow strikes. One grunt went flying when a thick branch hit him dead centre on the chest. The grunt wasn't dead, but had certainly had cracked a few ribs, he would be down for a while.

Nielak and Malkak, with their opposite natures, were surprisingly working together well. Together they cut of branches in rapid succession. When Malkak took a hit against the jaw and went to ground, Nielak quickly cut of the thick branch that was surely going to crush Malkak. They didn't take long to finish their foe of.

Elsewhere things didn't go so smoothly. One grunt got crushed beneath the full wait of the tree he had been fighting. That very tree then made a turn toward the peons, apparently thinking they would be an easier target. Talgrun saw it's intentions quickly enough, and with no opponents of his own he rushed over and intercepted it. He swung his axe in a downward arc and hit the tree diagonally on the trunk, cutting deep. The only thing preventing a complete bisection was that the numbness in his shoulder was getting worse. He tried to pull the axe out, but his shoulder wouldn't allow it. The tree, realizing it had a new dangerous opponent, focused it's attention on Talgrun as if it felt no pain from the near bisection. A thick branch swung against Talgrun's midsection, flinging him away. Besides the pain in his midsection he found that he had been holding on to the axe while being hit by the branch, the axe had been pulled free. He quickly got back up and cut at the tree from the opposite side of the existing cut. The axe came down and cut diagonally towards where the old cut had ended, making a sort of V. The tree flayed about, trying to stay upright. The peons quickly sprung into action and began hacking at it with their smaller axes. Beneath their combined onslaught the creature quickly fell.

Talgrun surveyed the area for more targets. Already six of the seven trees lay _dead_. Three orcs lay dead as well, while two were severely injured. The one with the cracked ribs had managed to get up, but was holding his chest as if it could burst open and drop small pieces of broken bones on the ground. At least he would be able to walk. The other injured one had a pulverised femur, apparently a tree decided to land on the orc's leg with it's full weight.

The rest of the grunts had the last tree surrounded. It tried to break out more than once, but each time more branches were cut of and it was pushed back into the middle of the circle. Before any fatal blow could be dealt to it, it a greenish explosion sending parts of it flying in all directions. Talgrun had seen such explosions before, they were but one spell of a powerful shaman. He looked around for the source and saw Krizslak standing not so far away. Krizslak began walking towards Talgrun.

Before Krizslak said anything, Talgrun looked around. In the distance other groups were still fighting of the trees, especially those that had more to fight to begin with. Other groups were retreating before an obviously more powerful force, leaving behind many dead and wounded. It seems they had it easy here.

Talgrun could see Krizslak's eyes flaring up when he spoke, "You've done well here, but we're retreating back to the watchtower, we will have some trolls there with spears and throwing axes ready. We're expecting more to happen, today." That last word surprised Talgrun a bit, but it was made clear when he looked at the sky. It was quickly getting darker, in the distance the sky was turning crimson red. The day would soon come to an end.

Talgrun nodded his agreement with retreating back to the watchtower and then turned towards the remaining orcs of his group. "Alright then, we are retreating ba-- damn" The numbness in his face was affecting his jaw muscles as well. "we are retreating back to the watchtower, to fend of any attackers there." He made sure he didn't trip over anymore words this time. He could already see Malkak's face turn sour at the prospect of retreating. "Oh, and Malkak, I am sure you'll see that we are making our defensive line there because we want to make it an effective defence, with as many casualties as possible on their side and the least possible on ours." Malkak's face turned even sourer because he didn't get the chance to say what he wanted to say.

The grunts quickly followed the order and headed towards the watchtower in the distance. Krizslak stepped closer to Talgrun and the red lights dimmed a bit as if Krizslak's eyes were narrowing to look at Talgrun more closely. "What was that? You faltered in your words, I never saw that before from you."

Talgrun looked briefly at the now completely limp peon being dragged along with the rest. "I got a grazing hit by an arrow." He pointed at the small cut on his cheek. "I think they poisoned the arrows."

"Well I might be able to help wi--, Uhm, I can't help with that right now." Krizslak pointed beyond Talgrun.

Talgrun turned and saw what Krizslak meant. Many walking trees stepped from the forest and began their trek towards them. A lot of bigger ones were among them as well, ranging up to four times the size of an orc. Without words, both turned simultaneously towards the watchtower and sped towards it. The continuous retreating didn't sit well with any of the orcs, retreating spoke of cowardice. But staying and fighting against much larger forces and dieing because of such foolishness was something of the old Horde, when the demonic corruption still burned fiercely in the orc's veins. Now, common sense usually won of the bloodlust. Although there were exceptions like Malkak.

When they arrived they could see that two catapults had been moved to the watchtower, to provide artillery. The moment the first tree came over the hill the catapults fired. The massive rocks took a few seconds to reach their destination, then came down, exploded and sent many pieces of various things flying. A sort of rumble-like scream reverberated across the clearing as if all the trees let out battle cries. At the same time the low pitched sound of bullhorns came from all directions.

The horns signalled for the elves to attack as well. Now between the trees rode the purple elves on some kind of enormous cats. They swung their curved blades in the air and let out battle cries of their own. Now, with the enemy coming at them with numbers in the hundreds, Talgrun forced the numbness away. From now on the battle was beginning in earnest.

Night Elven society was a strange one. At least it was to anyone not of that society. Almost all activities occurred during the night. Night elves preferred the light of the moon to that of the sun. After all, the moon represented their goddess, Elune. And now that the whole camp was being wakened at broad daylight, everybody was a bit out of their element. They were all sleepy and sour of mood. Xani and Chereesa were especially sleepy, having been awake for two days and only having slept a very short while before being wakened now.

When an officer with a bullhorn stepped into the barracks and blew it as hard as he could, All of them almost jumped right of bed and lined up, most wearing only their undergarments, others wearing nothing. They were, however to sleepy and focused on the officer at the same time to notice any attractive parts of each other.

The officer put his arms behind his back and shouted as loud as possible, "Everybody report to the square fully equipped as fast as possible!" He immediately turned around and stepped out again without any more words. The men and women almost simultaneously turned and ran to clothes lying besides their beds. Especially those that didn't have anything on to begin with hurried to their cloths. Xani wasn't in such a hurry to get her clothes, since she was already wearing them. When Xani and Chereesa had come back to the camp, and after Xani had _talked_ to Kaylin, they had both immediately been put on guard. After that had ended Xani had just removed her armour, but hadn't bothered with her clothes. She had just walked up to her bed and let herself drop right on it, falling asleep almost instantly. Chereesa had been even worse, not even taking of her armour.

All archers wore the same leather armour, it gave as mush protection as possible while being as light as possible. All of them also wore a cape, used for camouflage and warmth should the need arise. The all had almost identical bows. A lot of the archers however sketched words or icons in the side of their bows to personalize them. Xani wore mostly the same thing as the archers, except that she wore a slightly lighter tinted cape with white edges and a crown decorated he green haired head to indicate she was a priestess. All of them used the same swords for close encounters, a straight short sword. Most of them however weren't as adept with the sword as with their bows.

A captain walked into the barracks and began lining up those that had already put on all their equipment. When all of them stood in a line, it looked as if someone had duplicated a single Night Elf forty times. Except the difference between men and women, the men being much wider at the shoulders and having a more angular face. The captain marched them out of the building and led them towards the main square where already another captain was placing his charges in four lines, each ten long, then standing in front of them.

All groups of forty were placed so they all looked at a wooden platform, which had been build overnight. In total, there were two hundred of them. Plus the command staff of Kaylin, including the captains of the various groups of forty and her second in command: sub-commander Julios, who had been so kind in waking them up. There were 117 archers, 78 hunters/huntresses and 5 priests, including Xani.

Hunters rode their fierce sabres with enough skill to simultaneously let the sabre attack with claws and attack themselves, which was not easy to do considering you need to hold on tight with one arm and strike the enemy with the other. Instead of swords or bows the hunters used glaives that looked a lot like three curved blades attached to the others at equal angles. They were even capable of throwing them. Hunters were the first line in battle, and as such wore heavier armour to protect them. Metal plates covered nearly every inch of their bodies. The sabres themselves had metal armour as well, covering their heads and legs. But right now, all sabres were at the stables, leaving their riders at the square.

It was very rare that all of them were called to the square at the same time for an announcement. In fact, the only time it happened before was when they had arrived at the camp. It was clear on everybody's faces that all of them expected something big. It was merely unsettling to Xani, she didn't like it when there were a lot of people gathered and she was right in the middle of it. Another reason why she sometimes sought solitude to practice her hobby.

Kaylin was a shorter than average Night Elf. But now that she stood on the wooden platform, she seemed to tower above them. Kaylin herself was wearing the same type of armour like the hunters, but hers was more ornate. In contrast the dark coloured standard of the hunters, the edges of her armour was silvered. It all had grey tint to it. Except her long cape, it was a deep black with a silver sword stitched on it. At any rate, there was no doubting she was the leader.

Kaylin began speaking in a even, calm voice. Loud enough to reach all of those present, but soft enough to not have shout at the top of her lungs. "I have just received a message. In short it reads: Our forces in southern Ashenvale have attacked the enemy, who have been desecrating our beloved forest. However they are encountering stronger resistance than expected, even the help of our powerful ally Cenarius can't push these invaders out of our forest. Therefore, reinforcements are requested, that's us." Mutters erupted amongst the gathered crowd. Kaylin let them mutter for a while before she broke it up with more information. "By midday a caravan will arrive here. With it will already be seven more regiments like ours. We will join them and then pick two more regiments. We will then proceed to the battle, and will arrive there in a matter of days." Kaylin looked a lot more alive, younger, now that she had the prospect of a battle.

Indeed it went as Kaylin has said. By midday the caravan arrived. Supplies were loaded onto some of the caravan wagons. While the supplies were being loaded, Xani and Chereesa found time to take a look outside the camp, to see the rest of the troops. They climbed a tree, which gave them a view of the assembled troops. 1400 regular troops were gathered, plus another 50 officers. The commanders and sub-commanders of all the regiments had gathered just outside the city entrance, probably to discus the shortest route to the battle.

Chereesa was looking in awe at the mass of soldiers, all fully equipped. Some rode around on their sabres, but most just sat in groups, talking and laughing. "I have never seen so many soldiers gathered, never seen so many people for that matter. . . Gathered."

"I have. . ." Xani said, thinking back to when she was much younger.

"No you haven't. You're not old enough to have seen so many people gathered."

"The start of priestly training, before they divide the potential priests into groups they gather them all in the capitol where the high priestess gives a speech about the nobility of being a priest." When she saw Chereesa looking sceptical. "Alright, maybe not as many as are gathered here, but make no mistake, a lot of people aspire to be priests. Okay maybe not as many as are gathered here. . . But a lot nonetheless_." So many people and I already feel uncomfortable by just thinking of having to be down there. _

Her unease showed on her face. Chereesa had known a long time that Xani didn't feel comfortable amongst large crowds, even thinking of crowds could make Xani nervous. "After one day among them you will feel better, you'll see they are to busy thinking about the battle ahead of them then to pay you any heed." In almost all ways, Xani was the complete opposite of Kaylin, she also contrasted pretty strongly from Xani, but not in all ways.

"I know, I know, but there is something else."

"Is it the battle?"

"I can deal with the battle, I have been trained with the bow. I grew up with a bow in my baby hand, just like you and everybody else. I think I know what they felt. What you call 'at least something unpleasant'. Now that it is so close I feel something in the air, and it certainly isn't pleasant."

That made Chereesa think. She too her time doing so. After having contemplated carefully she said, "I wonder who or what the enemy is. Kaylin didn't bother to tell."

"If she doesn't bother to tell, we will probably know the enemy when we see them, it, whatever the enemy is. The first sign would probably be the fact that they try to kill us."

"Probably. . ."

A figure breaking away from the command group caught their attention. The silvery colourations immediately indicated her to be Kaylin. She was walking back into the camp. She stopped right under the tree Xani and Chereesa were silently sitting in. Her head tilted backwards, slowly turning towards Xani and Chereesa. "Xani! Are you sitting in a tree again! There is nothing wrong with that now. I am gathering the regiment one last time on the square before we move out with the rest." Without further words she continued on her path, to do exactly as she said she was going to do.

Mere minutes later the entire regiment stood ready again. Kaylin began peaking again in the same voice she had used before. "The supplies are loaded onto the carts, the equipment is loaded onto the carts, we are ready to move out!" Nobody moved a muscle before she actually gave the order. Kaylin smiled for one of the few times in her life. "SilverBlades, MOVE OUT!"

(A/N) And was the second chapter. I already have the third one ready, but it is so absolutely massive and I haven't even attempted to spell check it yet. Yes, I spell check it, so if you see any returning mistakes, please say so. EDIT Hmmpf, just checked. The trick to substitute the lines doesn't seem to be working properly.


	3. Chapter 3: Power Source Part 1

This chapter is so enormous that I have decided to split it into three parts, just for your comfort. So here comes part 1 of:

**Chapter 3: Power Source (Part 1)**

Over the course of two days the Warsong clan had performed a defensive retreat across the river to the east side. There they had put up a strong defensive line on the river shores. The only ways into the base were the two shallow passages across the river and a path at the back of their settlement, but that was firmly in the Warsong's hands. The last way in was through the air. Already the elves had used flying mounts to keep them away from the grunt's axe. The two forces were at a stalemate, neither had the strength or strategic opportunity to crush the other.

Even the massive creature who had announced himself as Cenarius had not been capable of breaching the Warsong's defences. Apparently Cenarius was some sort of Demigod of the forest to the Night-Elves. The orcs had begun calling the elves Night-Elves because they favoured the darkest hours to descend from the forests to assail the orcs. Cenarius was a wondrous creature to behold, standing over ten feet tall and having the lower body of a stag and the upper body of a Night-Elf. Wondrous to behold, as long he kept his claws or magic away from you. Many a grunt had made the mistake to attack the creature directly, ending up torn to pieces, thrown over great distances or killed by magic. Cenarius also appeared to be the one who commanded the uprooted trees whom they had come to call Ents.

"This is embarrassing! We have been pushed back by a bunch of leaf-weight elves and fire wood!" Malkak shouted.

"Need I be remindin' you that the fire wood gave you this crushed leg?" Said the troll witch doctor who had been tending to Malkak's crushed leg. An ent had seen fit to hit Malkak in the face, sending Malkak to the ground, and then step onto Malkak's leg while they were retreating to the other side of the river. The ent had been dispatched before it could do anymore damage after which Talgrun had carried the not-so-light Malkak to the settlement.

"They do burn well." Said Nielak jokingly while he threw a new log onto the fire, made from Ent wood.

This made Malkak laugh even though he felt immense pain from the crushed leg. "Will you be holdin' still for a moment!" Asked the witch doctor angrily. When Malkak didn't stop laughing the witch doctor poured a fluid over the crushed leg and then held the leg in place while the fluid crept into the skin and started repairing the damage. Normally this wouldn't be very painful, but now. . . A scream erupted from Malkak so loud that the witch doctor had trouble preventing his reflexes from making his hands go up and cover his long pointy ears. After the screaming had stopped Nielak couldn't help but laugh loudly at Malkak, which didn't help Malkak's mood.

Besides the three of them, there were five others left alive in their group, including Krizslak. They had come out with the fewest casualties of all groups that had been on guard. Mostly because they had the fewest ents to fight at the beginning. Some of the groups had been completely destroyed, others were down to two or three members.

"I be done." The witch doctor got up.

"Thanks for tending to our friend." Said Talgrun. He had been sitting next to Nielak quietly. The witch doctor made a slight bow towards Talgrun and then left.

Malkak got up and walked around a bit, testing the repaired leg. "It is just like it was!" He said, not really believing it was true. "That troll actually knew what he was doing."

"So maybe now you can learn to respect those _low-life-scum-peons_?" Asked Nielak, while making a not entirely serious face.

"Why would I possibly respect them more?"

"Well, they cut down fire-wood like that which crushed your leg on a regular basis." A grin spread on Nielak's face. To Nielak's disappointment Malkak didn't get angry at the comment, either because he didn't understand it or because he was learning not to react to such things anymore.

A peon walked over to them, holding a platter full of meat and bread. He put a threesome of smaller platters down before them, apparently their rations for the evening. He bowed slightly before the three warriors, was a bit surprised when Nielak and Talgrun inclined their head in thanks in return (except Malkak, who just pretended the peon wasn't there) and then moved away again.

All three of them were starving and all three of them thought the food had come just in time. It didn't take long for them to completely devour all that had been given to them. None of them had said anything in between bites, to busy with their food. When they were done, however, the conversations didn't start anymore. All of them reflected on what had happened the last few days. They had suffered severe losses, had lost almost two-third of the entire settlement. Many of their friends lay dead among the many bodies of elves and orcs. To two of them this was new, to Talgrun it was something he didn't want to be reminded of.

In the end of the second war he had fought many battles which ended badly for the orcs. He had seen friends losing themselves to the unnatural bloodlust. He had seen something similar today, although in a lesser way. A few orcs had shown so much bloodlust that others had to restrain them to prevent the blood crazed orcs from going after the elves when the elves were pulling back to lick their wounds, only to come back later. Talgrun had always believed they had been freed from the demonic bloodlust, but maybe it wasn't gone entirely.

But he had also stood with his fellow orcs when they were freeing their people from the internment camps. That was not so long ago, but then the bloodlust had not been so apparent. Maybe it was something about this place that re-ignited that old bloodlust. Whatever it was, it did not bode well. Especially to those orcs that already had an increased bloodlust by nature, like Malkak.

Maybe Krizslak had noticed it to. He would have to find out. He stood up and said, "I am going to find Krizslak, I have something to speak with him about."

"hmm" Grunted Nielak. "I think I am going to my mate, make sure the children are safe." He stood up as well and immediately walked away, focused on his thoughts rather than the path in front of him.

Talgrun turned towards where he thought he might find Krizslak, namely the command tent. "Uhm. . ." Malkak started, not really knowing what he should do. "I'll come with you, Talgrun." He to stood up.

Talgrun, surprised at Malkak's words, turned towards Malkak. "Why would possibly want to do that?"

"I may not know you as well as Nielak does, but I can see that you are not going to talk to Krizslak about strategy. You are going to talk about something else. I would like to know what that is, and I don't have anything else to do."

"It is nothing, just trying to get this numbness in my face away."

"Krizslak did that two days ago just after we retreated back to that watchtower." Malkak was clearly getting suspicious.

"Well, I know something for you to do. Go to sleep. Be rested when they attack again." He didn't say that the elves might attack during the night, they seemed to favour that, so Malkak might not get a lot of sleep if that was the case. He hoped Malkak hadn't grown enough of a brain to realize that, he really couldn't have Malkak around now.

Malkak pondered that for a moment. "You are right, I am a bit tired."

"Good." He turned walked towards the command tent. He could feel Malkak's eyes in his back, trying to figure out what he was really going to do. When he found the command tent, he found it wasn't a _tent_ any more. It hadn't really been one from the start, since it had solid walls. But now it had been fortified. The beginnings of towers had been build on several corners of the building and the walls were being thickened. A sizeable area around the building was cleared and being light by torches so nobody could get close without being seen. Some of the chieftain's most elite guards patrolled the area, nothing, not even the most skilled elf, would get past unnoticed.

The moment he stepped out into the light, a guard came to him and asked sternly, "What is your business here, sergeant?" It wasn't a particularly large orc, Talgrun towered over him at least two heads. The guards armour was thicker and lacked the asymmetrical shoulder pads the normal warriors used.

"I am looking for a certain shaman, Krizslak. He is my commanding officer and I need to speak with him." He had barely said that or Krizslak came out of the command building, bearing a disturbed look on his face. He wasn't the only one to come out of the building, a lot of other officers left as well. Perhaps a meeting had just been concluded. "A there he is." He told the guard.

The guard let him pass and he made his way towards Krizslak. Krizslak saw him coming and stepped out of the mass of officers. Krizslak was wearing his usual combat outfit, except that the mask dangled at his side. "Talgrun? What are you doing here?"

"I need to talk. . ."

"You can talk to that other orc, uhm, Nielak. He's your friend." Krizslak sighed heavily, knowing Talgrun had his reasons to talk to him.

"I could try to talk to him, but I'm afraid he wont understand fully." Talgrun certainly had Krizslak's attention now, although a worried look also crept in on Krizslak's face. "He hasn't seen enough of the second war to fully understand."

"Second war? What does that black period in our race's history have to do with now?"

"Have you not noticed increased bloodlust amongst the warriors? I certainly have, all the way on the front lines. Bloodlust so strong in their eyes that it reminds me of those massive battlefields in the second war."

"I have seen it. And we now also know there is something not far from here that is causing it. Look. . ." Krizslak guided Talgrun to a more secluded spot, so none of the guards would overhear. "I am not supposed to tell anyone of this, yet, for that it might cause. . . Instability. . . Amongst the warriors."

"Instability?"

"Look, a lot of them are young and have not fully felt the bloodlust which you and I have felt in it's full malicious force." Krizslak sighed again, not knowing what to say for a moment. "almost all magic wielders in our clan have felt an immense power source to the north. The chieftain thinks we might be able to use that power to overcome our enemies here, but the power carries a taint with it. A demonic taint. Like the one that gave us the bloodlust for so long. What do you think those younger orcs might think of that power source?"

"Evil?"

"No! An opportunity, just like the chieftain thinks it is. It might give them the power needed to vanquish any enemy. But in the process it might destroy who they are, make them into something. . . else. The Chieftain has already decided that this power source must be found, then we will figure out what to do with it. Our group, or what's left of it, is to go on this _expedition_ as well. The chieftain will be going as well."

"Grom Hellscream? But who will lead the defence when he is away?"

"Warlord Firetusk will be in charge, so that won't be the problem, he is a capable Warlord. But my worry is what the Chieftain will do with the power source if he get his hands on it."

Krizslak stayed quiet after that, the worried look on his face growing more dire by the moment. "So. . . Do you want me to tell the group about this little expedition, without actually saying what it is that we are looking for?"

"Yes, and we will move out tomorrow."

"Well, then there will be at least one group that is slightly prepared for what we will find." This made Krizslak's worried face a little less worried. Talgrun saluted and said, "They will be ready." then turned around and went to do as he was told.

The next day --

There they stood. Lined up, all seventy-six of them, being inspected by the chieftain before they moved out to find the power source that might aide them in defeating their enemy. For this particular expedition they had not been restricted to the standard issue equipment they normally wore. Some had exchanged their large battleaxes for a smaller one and a shield. Others had chosen large war hammers not unlike those paladins in the human armies often used. Malkak had gone for two small axes, while Nielak had kept the battleaxe, but he had exchanged his leather chest armour for one made of metal for added protection. Talgrun had, being the largest orc on the expedition except for one of Grom's personal guards, actually gone for a slightly larger axe. Krizslak was standing in front of, what was left of, his group. His second-in-command, Talgrun, towered behind him. The rest of the group was spread on a line equally on Talgrun's sides. The same was with other groups, except that those were larger, since Krizslak's group was the only one from the initial attack to be chosen for the expedition.

Behind the line of orcs stood a line of trolls. They were a minority, but not by much. Their long lanky blue-tinted bodies hunched forward. Their tusks gleamed in the early light of day, some might even have polished them up for they were to be inspected by the Chieftain, and their tusks were a part of their pride.

Grom Hellscream strolled by them, giving them all a thorough look over before moving on to the next. Here and there he would add a few words of trust. When he passed Talgrun, Talgrun could see that the Chieftain himself was troubled by what lay ahead, even if Grom was trying his best to hide that fact. Grom had been there when Talgrun had come to his clan while being pursued by humans when he had just escaped from one of the internment camps. So he knew Talgrun by name. "I'll be counting on you, Talgrun." The edges of Grom's mouth turned upward in a small smile. Grom had withstood the years of fighting and keeping his clan alive well. Although the Chieftain was bit underweight by orc standards he was one of the best orcisch warriors the horde had ever seen. However, not even the mighty Hellscream could withstand time indefinitely. Wrinkles were beginning to pop up and his voice began changing as well, becoming deeper and raspier. The eyes however were still as sharp as ever.

Grom moved on to the next in line, Malkak. The chieftain had nothing to say to him and just gave him an approving look. When he was finished with them all, they all lined up in rows four wide and awaited the chieftain's signal to move. The trolls were spread amongst them equally. Grom took his place at the head of the column and shouted in the way that earned him his name, "WARSONGS! MOVE!"

Immediately they all began walking directly to the north. They watched the forest rim carefully to not fall into any unexpected traps from the night-elves or any other creatures that might be lurking within the forest. Half a day passed without anything happening, while they came ever closer to their target.

Malkak tapped Nielak on the shoulder, Malkak was walking just behind Nielak, and asked, "So what do you think we are looking for here, exactly?"

"How should I know, I am just marching where I am told to march. Talgrun," Talgrun was walking on Nielak's right. "You know, right?"

"Nothing you need to concern yourself with until we get there."

"Ah, so you do know. Care to enlighten us on the subject?" Nielak prodded.

"Let me just rephrase what I just said: No, not now."

"'Rephrase'? That be an awful complicated word fo' a grunt, mon." A troll to Talgrun's right said. The troll just behind the one that spoke was trying keep himself from laughing, to not catch everybody's attention, but was almost doubling over in the process.

Talgrun let his hand slide into a small bag on his belt and let his hand take hold of a crystal he kept there. He hadn't done this since first arriving on Kalimdor. The crystal send a soothing feeling through him, calming him down and letting him keep an even and unchanged face. "Let me assure you, you will know what we are looking for when we find it." He had found that crystal long ago, some time after having been left behind during the exodus to Dreanor by the Bleeding Hollow clan. He hadn't bothered to tell anybody about the crystal. The only one who knew of the crystal had been the human who had captured him during his travels away from the Dark Portal.

"Somehow, that doesn't really help," Nielak began. "I usually know what I am looking for when I find it. But that is mostly because I already knew beforehand what I was looking for."

"Whatever it is, I think it is something that can help us crush those puny elves, otherwise the chieftain wouldn't drag us away from the base." Malkak offered. Talgrun just hoped he didn't still think that when they found what they were looking for.

As they went on the forest became thicker, trees stood closer to each other, the path upon which they travelled narrowed. A thick green mist began to envelop them, absorbing a great deal of the light before it could reach them. They could still see the edge of the forest, where they every now and then saw a pair of glowing eyes. Imagined or otherwise, they all began feeling more on edge. Casual talks had ended, even the informative questions had become few. The only things they heard were their own feet coming down on branches, their breath and their own hearts thundering in their ears. The day began to come to an end when their first obstruction made itself known, and the only obstruction many of them would see.

From the forest suddenly sounded a bullhorn. The sound reverberated through their skulls. Just as they wondered where it had come from, creatures of a type they had never seen before came from the forest. The mist obscured most of the creature's details, but if it weren't for the fur, hoofs and horns, you could have sworn they were night-elves. Most carried long curved swords. Others seemed to prefer the use of magic, already balls of fire and black magic flew through the air, singing and corrupting flesh as they went.

They were going for just behind the middle of the orcs column, trying to split the orcs into two groups, one smaller than the other. They even succeeded at it, even though the orcs weren't as surprised as with the ents.

"Satyrs!" Krizslak shouted just in front of Talgrun, Nielak and Malkak. As luck would have it, they were in the rear end of the column.


	4. Chapter 3: Power Source Part 2

And here is part 2. This is a real pain in the ass, cutting a chapter up.

**Chapter 3: Power Source (Part 2)**

"You know them?" Nielak shouted above the beginning of the battle.

"From an old translated elven legend I once read back in the human lands!" No further explanation could be given. Roars of battle were being shouted, weapons readied. Several burning arrows shot from the forest's edge towards the rear end of the column. For the most part their armour did their jobs against the arrows, and most went wide anyway.

They all immediately saw they were being split into two groups, so the rear forces began regrouping and made a sort of battering ram of orcish warriors to charge through the satyr ranks. They charged the force that had split the convoy into two. The ram pierced through the satyr ranks with ease. They had almost rejoined with the front of the column when a massive explosion just between the two orcish forces made them reconsider. The explosion of undoubtedly magical origin was indiscriminate in bringing death to those caught in it's blast, even a couple of satyr right in the middle of the blast. Bodies and body parts went flying in all directions. Their little battering ram had been blunted, and the front end forces were being forced away from them by superior numbers.

Just in front of Talgrun a troll was ripped apart by the demonic magic of a satyr magic wielder, covering him in the poor troll's blood. He quickly wiped away most of the blood from his face and looked for the nearest target. Instead he saw the young Garona on her back fending of a blade-wielding satyr. The satyr hadn't expected a second foe, so it didn't do anything to prevent the large battleaxe from coming down on it's shoulder. Talgrun pulled his axe from the body and helped Garona on her feet. She nodded her thanks and went to where Krizslak was assembling what was left of the rear forces. Which wasn't much. There were only twelve left, counting Talgrun and Garona. They were getting pushed into the forest to the west of the path they had been walking.

Talgrun joined up with them just after nearly bisecting a satyr length-wise with an upward swing. He could readily find Malkak, making as much noise as he could, shouting and grunting at his adversaries. Nielak however he couldn't find. He looked around the battlefield, but didn't see any bodies that might be him. He couldn't afford to give it anymore thought. Talgrun ran up to Krizslak, who was having a argument with a lower ranked orc about what to do now.

"We stay and fight, there is nothing else we can do here now!" The younger orc was apparently not so different from Malkak, except that Malkak would be fighting instead of arguing, which was what he was doing.

"No! We need to link back up with Grom and give him what aid we can to help him achieve his goal." Krizslak argued back while at the same time throwing some of his own magic at the nearest satyr. They were holding them of quite adequately now.

"How would you like to do that!" The young orc pointed towards where Grom's half of the orcs was disappearing. They had disappeared behind a low wall of satyrs.

"Go into the forest and circle around them!" Talgrun offered. Krizslak looked at him for a moment in a way that seemed to ask why he hadn't though of that, then looked towards the forest and then back towards those he was now commanding.

Orders began pouring out of his mouth spurring them to make a slow retreat into the forest, while still fending of attacks. Surprisingly, as soon as they had gone into the thick forest, the satyrs disappeared. The orcs halted their retreat and looked at each other questioningly. The satyrs should know the forest, this was their terrain, why did they stop their attack?

None of them said anything, partially because it wasn't necessary and for fear that it might restart the attack. Talgrun looked back towards Krizslak. Krizslak nodded in the direction where the satyrs had been, indicating he wanted Talgrun to take a look where they had gone. Talgrun gave a short nod and then signalled Malkak to follow him. They inched through the thick underbrush, making as little sound as they could, which was not easy to do considering the amount of armour they were wearing. The only sounds now came from to the north where Grom was apparently still being driven away from them. Talgrun looked at Malkak who only shrugged, not having seen any sign of the satyrs.

Upon their return Talgrun immediately went to Krizslak. "there is no sign of them." He whispered.

"I suspect that they will be trying to lay a trap, but the only options we have are backtracking to the road or continuing to circle around." Some of those standing nearby leaned closer to the whispering duo to hear what they were saying, however they weren't talking loud enough to be heard. "We continue on our present path."

"But, what good can we do. We can't even be certain that we can link back up with Grom's force. . ." Talgrun began.

"Are you saying we should abandon our leader?"

He hadn't really known what he wanted to say, not that at least. "No, of course not, but. . . Never mind."

"Good." He indicated the warriors to follow him and moved on, leaving Talgrun to stare at the spot where Krizslak had been standing.

_Damn, why did I say that? Hehe, I don't even know_. He thought to himself. He was roused by a hand gently coming down on his arm. He looked up and was surprised to see Garona. "What?" He asked softly, but a bit irritated that she was there.

"What was that last bit about? You both got a bit more agitated and started speaking louder." She asked.

"Nothing." He moved on to catch up with the rest before Garona could say any more.

It was almost evening when they were all certain that they were completely lost. None of them had ever been in this part of the forest, no orc had ever been there for that matter. But as far as they knew they had been slowly arcing to the north, every now and then they could see through the tree canopy to see the sun. The mist was now also getting less. But they grew more and more confident that the satyrs wouldn't return, they had after all not seen any for some time.

"Do you think they are really gone?" Malkak began.

"They are around, just not close enough to see or hear them." Talgrun answered. He was almost certain they were still around. Being the older warrior among these young ones he knew more about tracking and being tracked than the rest of them.

"How can you be so sure?" Garona continued. Garona certainly was a young one, probably only having become a warrior a short time ago, and orcs that became warriors did so at a young age.

Talgrun noticed that some others were looking at him now as well, desiring an explanation. "Oh, come on. Do you really think they would just let us? They just figured that it would be to costly to fight us in a the direct engagement we had back there. They want to minimize their own casualties." This drew some satisfied grins from some at the suggestion that the satyr were afraid to fight them in a direct battle. "And lure us into an ambush which they can control." Some of the grins faded at that last statement.

"Cowards!" Malkak said a little louder than might have been wise to do in their situation.

"Not so loud." One of the warriors began.

"Why? If they are gonna ambush us anyway, why not provoke them into a battle we can control?" Malkak retorted.

"Good point." The warrior that had spoken out said.

"Quiet!" Came Krizslak's voice from up front. "This way!" He directed them to a small hill with a steep rocky slope on one side. Apparently the hill was primarily made of stone and could not support the large Ashenvale trees for it was mostly overgrown with small bushes. The twelve of them took cover behind the rocky slope and waited for Krizslak to explain why they were hiding. The ridge was barely high enough to keep an average standing orc from being seen by anyone on top the hill. Talgrun and two others had to bend down a bit because they were taller.

All of them listened for sounds. Talgrun wondered how Krizslak could possibly have heard anything. Or maybe it was his shaman powers that were coming into play. He knew that shamans worked with the five elements of fire, earth, water, air and live to achieve the things they did. Maybe one of them had helped Krizslak sense something that the others couldn't hear or see.

One of them was about to say something, probably asking why they had been dragged here, but Krizslak signalled him to keep quiet. Sure enough, a sound was heard. More sounds came and they were growing louder. When they came closer the sounds could be identified as coming from two different individuals, but spoken in a language that sounded a lot like that of the elves, but more guttural and crueller sounding. It was unfortunate that none of them knew the elven language. The sounds grew more fierce and agitated as the conversation continued. The two arguers stopped walking right on top of the hill. They could tell it was on the hill because of the loudness and the direction of the sounds.

Krizslak indicated to Talgrun to take a look. Talgrun straightened up a bit and peered through a bit of grass, his skin colour working in his favour as camouflage. There were in fact seven satyrs standing there. Two of them were visibly arguing about something. He bend back down towards Krizslak and held seven fingers up. He looked back towards the arguing duo and saw that they had finished their argument. Six of the seven were walking away, leaving one of the arguers behind, perhaps as a watchman.

He again bend back to Krizslak and relayed the information through hand signals. An accurate translation of the hand signal response Krizslak gave would be: 'kill it'. Talgrun nodded and looked back towards the watchman, who was still there. The satyr was walking in a circle, every now and then stopping to peer in the distance. When the satyr was just above Talgrun and looking past the hiding orcs, Talgrun put his left hand on top of the rocky hill for extra support. He then jumped up and used his right hand to grab the satyr's throat. He squeezed hard to make sure no sound escaped and pulled the satyr down to his level. Another orc came from behind the satyr and shoved a small dagger into the satyr's back. The satyr tried to scream, but couldn't because Talgrun had a firm grip on the satyr's throat. The dagger shot back and forth a couple of times until the satyr finally went limp.

They waited a while to make sure the other satyrs were well away from them before any of them spoke. "So. . . What are these. . . Satyr? Krizslak?" One warrior started.

"According to the legend I read, Kalimdor and the human lands were once one large landmass, until some great tragedy that wasn't explained in the legend split the landmass into what we know now. The legend says that before this great tragedy the elves and the satyrs were one race, but one took to demon worshipping and was malformed in the process. I think we can all tell which took that particular path. And if that is really the case than I wouldn't be surprised if the elves here and those from the northern human lands share the same ancestry as well."

"I don't suppose you know why they attacked?"

"Indeed I don't know. But it might be because they claimed what we have been looking for before we did, for some reason" Krizslak explained, making sure he didn't accidentally say to much.

A warrior began searching for anything the satyr might have had on himself and came up with a dried piece of hide with markings on it. "Krizslak, look at this." He handed the hide to Krizslak.

Krizslak looked at it for a few moments. "It seems to be a map of this region, but all of these marking are unknown to me."

"But you said you had read an elvish legend and tha--" The warrior was cut of before he could continue.

"A _translated_ legend. And I doubt that even a written language can stay exactly the same for millennia. Wait a minute." He pointed towards an elaborate icon on top ,probably north, of the map. "This is probably where we were going to before the satyr attacked."

"Can you use the map to guide us there?" Talgrun asked.

"I think so, it is mostly just a map with pictures of mountains and trees. All of these writings are probably troops locations or something of importance to the satyrs. This direction will take us fairly close to where we need to go." He began walking and without further questioning the rest followed.

Talgrun walked up besides Krizslak. "Can I have a look at the map?" Without saying anything Krizslak gave the map to him. He looked at the map and saw that there were a lot of numbers on it, the words that explained the numbers however he couldn't discern. "Krizslak, if we continue in this direction we will come upon a river, but there aren't any ways we can cross over."

"Maybe it's just shallows. And if not, we can always just swim across."

"True"

They decided to stop for the night. No fire was made so they wouldn't be discovered and there were always three of them on guard. Despite the fact that there were a lot of satyr around, they were not discovered. At first light they continued on. According to the map they were almost at the river.

"Talgrun, do you still think they are trailing us? There was no sign of them during the night and we haven't even seen a footprint of them." Malkak started.

"That is the third time you have asked that today, Malkak." Garona retorted. "And I bet the answer is still the same."

The sound of a bullhorn was heard in the distance. "Yup, I still think they're close." Talgrun added. Another bullhorn sounded, this one much closer. "Damn, they are very close." More bullhorns began sounding, each one closer to them.

They stopped walking and turned to where the sounds were coming from. They all readied their weapons ad waited for orders from Krizslak, who just seemed to be awaiting the Satyr's next move. To their right hissing sounds were suddenly heard. The sounds died down as fast as they had begun, but lights now glowed between bushes.

"WATCH OUT! ARCHERS!" Garona shouted, she was almost the last one on the right.

Burning arrows shot from the bushes and in their direction. The hissing sounds had been the arrows being set alight. _Ambush! _Talgrun thought to himself. He looked towards Krizslak and their eyes met for a moment. Krizslak was thinking the exact same thing and before he could give any orders, the first wave of arrows came down. Most of them missed or were stopped by the heavy armour, but some managed to burrow themselves into unprotected parts of orcish bodies. Screams erupted from those hit as the burning arrows burrowed themselves deeply into flesh and scorched the insides of those hit.

"Garona!" Malkak shouted somewhere to Talgrun's right. He looked over and saw Malkak standing over Garona. He ran over to them and saw that an arrow had managed to pierce Garona's throat. The arrow was still stuck in the throat. The main arteries had been severed and they were spilling all of their blood on the ground. Even if Garona felt like saying any last words, she couldn't. The only thing coming out of her mouth was blood, as her entire throat was opened up.

"Malkak! Leave her! We don't have time for this!" He pulled Malkak to his feet and looked him in the eyes. Many emotions flickered through those eyes, but most of all rage and grief more intense than what Talgrun was feeling for the loss of this fine warrior, whom he had even befriended a little. He hadn't known Malkak and Garona had been so close. Malkak broke free from his grasp and turned towards a group of Satyr stepping from the bushes and charging them. Malkak shouted the loudest battle cry Talgrun had ever heard from Malkak. _He is gone. _Talgrun thought as he saw immense rage overcoming Malkak. Malkak charged the charging Satyrs and began hacking and slicing without regard for personal injuries. Both of Malkak's axes smashed into enemies all around him, cracking and severing limbs and ribs. _He is not going to be reasoned out of this one. _

"RETREAT! The river is not far of, we might be able to loose them there!" Krizslak's voice resounded. All of them immediately obeyed and disengaged.

Talgrun took one last glance at the dying Garona. Her hands were clawing the grass beneath her in pain. Her whole body was strained as she tried to somehow relief the pain. He saw that the rest of the group, which was only seven strong now, was not waiting for him in their retreat. Already the Satyr were opting to go around the still enraged Malkak and head straight for the retreating orcs. Talgrun lifted his axe above his head and let it come down on Garona in a swift blow to end her suffering. He grabbed her axe in his left hand and then moved on to catch up with the rest of the group, leaving Malkak behind.

In between the sounds of his heavy feet pounding the ground, Talgrun could hear Malkak was still not giving up in his tirade. He was lasting a lot longer than Talgrun had expected to be possible. Suddenly a enraged and pained scream pierced the air. No more sounds of steel hitting steel came after that. Malkak finally went down. _Exactly how he had always imagined to die. Fighting._

He didn't have more time think of it. Ahead of him the group had come to a halt in a clearing and were staring down at something. "So why don't we just jump down!" One warrior argued with Krizslak.

Talgrun ran up to them and looked down. Just in front of them the ground ended. A cliff wall went straight down and at the bottom was a raging water stream. The river from the map. There weren't any bridges in sight, nor were there any shallows. "You see that water down there?" Krizslak began his explanation. "Why do you think the water is going so fast?" When the answer didn't come Krizslak continued. "Because a lot of water has to go through a tight space and the water isn't very deep here, look you can see the rocks." The warrior merely looked like he had no idea what Krizslak was talking about. "Bad. . ." Krizslak dryly added.

Krizslak looked around some more to see if there was another way out. "No way across?" Talgrun asked.

"There is not. And I don't see a way out of this clearing." Krizslak was right. With their backs to the river there were the satyrs in front of them, a cliff wall to their left and to their right they could already see more satyrs coming for them. Krizslak looked at the axe in Talgrun's left hand for a moment and then said, "Who's axe is that?"

"Garona's."

"What are you going to use that axe for?"

"I don't know yet, but it could come in handy."

Krizslak just looked at him with a puzzled look. He then returned his attention to the satyrs and began shouting orders. "Don't just stand around like that! Make a line and ready your weapons! Let's make them pay for our blood!" They made a line with Krizslak in the middle. "CHARGE!" Krizslak shouted. At the same time he let loose a spell that made the air thicken until it was an invisible wall. The wall rushed forward and slammed into first row of satyr, not enough to kill them, but enough to knock the breath out of them for a few seconds. They charged forward.

In front of them a quintet of the satyrs had stopped running and had started to cast spells of their own. Bolts of black magic erupted from their hands and began arcing towards the charging line of orcs. While two of the bolts hit individual targets, which was already lethal, the other three impacted a single orc. As the orc let go of a scream filled with pain, his body was being consumed by the dark energies at a much faster rate than those hit by a single bolt. His flesh became almost liquid and dripped from his carcass. His eyes disappeared and in their place black fire burned. He only managed one step before collapsing in a heap of singing flesh.

The quintet abandoned their magic and raised their curved blades together with their comrades and charged towards the line of orcs. Talgrun switched the axes in his hands, taking Garona's in his right and his own in his left. He picked a target and then raised Garona's axe. With as much strength as he could muster, which was not little, he threw the axe towards the satyr. The axe hit the satyr dead-centre and send the hapless satyr to ground. He switched his own axe back to his right and held it ready cleave satyr flesh.

The two lines met. Almost without exception the satyr's only strength seemed to be their reliance on the demonic magic. Except, in a close engagement such as this it was useless. What remained of the orcish group were the battle hardened veterans. Every now and then Krizslak let loose with spells of his own, but for the most part he used the claws attached to his gloves to cause deeps cuts.

But for all their strength, the orcs were getting picked of one at a time. The satyrs seemed to have infinite numbers and they were overpowering them with sheer numbers.

The orc's strength began to fail. They were getting tired. Muscles began to ache even when they were not being used. Their breaths fell short. Still they continued on to make the satyrs pay for their blood. By the time they had been driven back towards the cliff, the ground around was littered with bodies and there were only four of them left. New satyrs that came for them had to step over bodies of their fallen comrades.

"Make them pay for our blood!" Krizslak managed to shout in a rare moment when he wasn't being attacked. Krizslak's magical reserves were almost depleted. _How dramatic. _Talgrun thought.

While trading blows with only one satyr, Talgrun noticed a satyr sneaking around them towards Krizslak. The satyr's hands began to glow with the demonic magic. Talgrun quickly finished of his foe with horizontal strike across the abdomen and then shouted towards Krizslak while The satyr he had just killed fell backwards while trying to hold his guts in. "Krizslak, look out!"

The warning, however, came to late. The satyr's magic shot forth and hit Krizslak in his side. Krizslak, however, was not unable to protect himself from such attacks. When the demonic magic was only half-way finished with it's effects, Krizslak cast a counter-spell to break the satyr's magic. Although he had survived the spell, his skin had grown darker, his had sunken deeper within the eye-sockets. Krizslak fell to his knees and looked at his hands with an unbelieving look on his face. The flesh beneath the skin on his hands had almost vanished. The skin around them was much to wide to fit around the remaining flesh snugly as it used.

A new satyr demanded Talgrun's attention, but in between blows he could see the satyr who had cast the spell step in front of Krizslak. Instead of giving up, Krizslak tried one last time to save himself with what ever magic he had left, but to no avail. The satyr merely raised his hand and dispelled the magic Krizslak was casting. A malicious grin appeared on the satyr's face. From the satyr's hands shot a black beam towards Krizslak. Krizslak tensed up and almost fell backwards, but some force kept him upright. Energy began flowing from Krizslak towards the satyr's hand. _He is draining Krizslak's soul! _His mind shouted without anybody being able to hear. He made an upwards swing towards the satyr he was fighting and struck true. The satyr fell so he could bleed to death.

Talgrun raced to interrupt the satyr's soul draining spell, so he might be able to give Krizslak a more honourable death than having his soul sucked out of him. The Satyr however saw him coming and cast a spell at him while maintaining the soul drain. Talgrun was merely flung some distance away, as was the spell's purpose. Just as Talgrun hit the ground and had the wind knocked out of him, a pain-filled scream erupted from Krizslak. The scream was so intense it made the Satyr who was doing the draining waver for a moment, but no unexpected axe came to hit the satyr in his weak moment. The soul draining continued until all that was left of Krizslak was an empty husk.

Talgrun managed to stand up, only to see that all other orcs had perished as well. All satyrs were now looking at him, but were not advancing. The satyr who had just completed the draining stepped towards Talgrun and halted just outside of the reach of Talgrun's axe. The satyr looked him up and down and spoke a few words. The words surprisingly in fluent orcish, which was only possible if through the soul draining the satyr had also obtained some of Krizslak's power. "Hmm, you would be worthy of a soul drain to, but. . ." He playfully rolled a shimmering stone over in his hand. "But I already have a better one." The satyr turned around again and said something to the other Satyrs. The moment the word was spoken the satyrs resumed their attacks.

Talgrun knew very well he wasn't getting out of this alive, he had suspected it from the moment their march through Ashenvale had been ambushed the first time.

Talgrun backed up towards the cliff and parried the first attack. He retaliated by lopping of the attackers head. The next he attacked first. This time he was the one being parried. Despite that, the satyr's curved blade was knocked from it's hands by the blow. While Talgrun's axe was still swinging because of momentum, the satyr without a blade now used his claws. Long nails dug into Talgrun's face. The satyr managed one deep strike on his face before he could bring his axe back up to push the satyr back. To his annoyance he couldn't see anymore with both of his eyes.

Another Satyr attacked. The blade pierced his chest armour and pierced the skin. It wasn't very deep, but painful none the less. He merely grunted in response to the pain. He swung the axe at the probable location of his attacker and was pleased to feel resistance, as if cutting into flesh. Another blade struck him across the chest, making a similar cut in the same direction as the first one. He stepped back one step and felt the end of the ground at his heels. He quickly regained his balance and continued fighting.

These weren't the first injuries he had sustained, but these were the first that would require some real tending. The blood poured out of him slowly, apparently no really important veins had been hit yet. Suddenly a sharp blade unexpectedly pierced his right leg armour and went all the way through. It was probably one of those swords, he couldn't see what it really was. He fell down on that knee with the sword still in the leg. While still swinging his axe he lost his sense of balance and toppled backwards of the cliff. The water below engulfed him and swept him downstream at an incredible rate. He had no idea whether he was under or above water. With half his breaths he took in water, which he immediately spat back out, and with the other half air.

_So I fought such a last stand only to die such a pathetic death like drowning. I wonder if Nielak is still alive, didn't see him die._


	5. Chapter 3: Power Source Part 3

This last part is a bit chaotic and it would have benefited from the horizontal lines a lot. Although it shouldn't be to hard to figure out what is going on. I read it over and thought myself that it wasn't to hard, but I am the one who wrote it. . .

**Chapter 3: Power Source (part 3)**

They were almost there now. Three days had passed since they had left from the Silverblades regiment encampment. Every day they all got more nervous, they knew they were getting closer to what they were going to fight. Messengers had come from the frontline forces with more details about the assailants. They were not demons, at least not any they knew. Many of the soldiers had expected it to be a second coming of the Burning Legion, but upon hearing this bit of news those particular soldiers sighed a sigh of relief.

The messengers, however, did also give descriptions of what it really was they were going to fight. The messengers spoke of green skinned creatures that stood slightly shorter than the average night-elf. Their strength however was much greater than that of a night-elf. The night-elven leaders had begun to call them "orcs" , for that was how those "orcs" called themselves, at least that was what they thought. The messengers also spoke of blue coloured trolls. Trolls they had known about for a long time, from long before the first invasion of the Burning Legion.

Scouts whom had been sent to scout the barren lands to the south of Ashenvale, where they thought the orcs were coming from, had even returned with reports that the gentle, but massive, tauren had allied themselves with the orcs for reasons unknown. This sent some doubt through the ranks of night-elves. Why would the normally passive tauren, who normally only fought against their sworn enemy: the centaur, ally themselves with these warmongering orcs?

Rumours began spreading about special powers inherent to the orcs with which they could enslave other species, how else could they get the help of the tauren?

"But that is just another rumour, Cher. . ." Xani said to Chereesa.

"Do you have a better explanation?"

"Well. . . The orcs might have lend assistance against the centaur. . ."

"Haha, right. . . The orcs and lending assistance." Chereesa mockingly retorted. "The messengers didn't really give the impression that the orcs are the type to do that. They'd more likely slaughter the tauren."

"Exactly! A messenger gave us that information, but that doesn't make it true. There could be a lot more that we don't know."

"All I need to know is that they defiled our lands."

The convoy, which now counted over 2000 soldiers, had stopped for a midday break. Most of the day all of them would be marching at a brisk pace. The hunters would ride their giant sabres and the archers would walk. All officers rode the giant sabres as well. Sabres also pulled large carts with the additional equipment and supplies. There were also a few carts with roofs, those were used for any injured. Now they were uninhabited, but should any battle begin, they would be places of chaos.

_Air! _Water entered his mouth time and time again, forcing him to choke and empty his lungs, if there was any air in them at all.

"You know, I really need to get away from this. . . Crowd. I am getting more nervous by the minute if I stay here." Chereesa was one of the few people who understood Xani's problem with crowds, and one of the even fewer people who Xani talked to without feeling uncomfortable.

"Are you sure it is just the crowd?"

"Off course it is not just the crowd, but we are getting closer and closer to this. . . I don't know what to call it. . ."

"At least something _unpleasant_?"

"Yes, that. I could do with a few minutes of solitude." Xani looked longingly to the forest edge not to far away. She knew that somewhere not far beyond that there was a river, she had seen it on maps.

"Well, why don't you go ahead and take a stroll. The convoy is going to be here for another hour, that is plenty of time. I don't think they're going to miss you, and Kaylin is discussing the coming battle with her co-officers." Chereesa gave slight grin and then said, "Hmm, I'll come with you. Even I am getting nervous from all of this. There is a river not far of, isn't there.?"

Xani smiled for a moment and then said, "Indeed there is."

_A log! Or what ever it is! _He felt something bump into him. It felt hard and rough to touch, much like a wooden log. He clung to it and raised his upper body out of the water as high as he could without toppling the log. _Finally! I can tell which way is up!_ Was one slightly clearer thought in between the screams his brain gave him, urging him to survive. He took large breaths and savoured every last one of them as if they were his last, which they might very well be if he lost the log.

"Ouch!" A thorny plant had managed to find an unprotected part of Chereesa's body and made a small scratch there. "Can you heal this? It is bleeding."

Xani halted and looked at the small scratch, which barely bled. "Come on, it is just a scratch. It will heal just fine without my help." Chereesa put up a pleading look. "Alright, hold still." Chereesa did just that and Xani cast a healing spell, a prayer to Elune. She didn't even have to speak the words for such a small thing like this, just thinking of them was already enough. The scratch vanished in one second and not even the slightest mark was left behind.

"Thank you very much." Chereesa said with a theatrical emphasis.

"No problem at all." Xani said in the same way.

They moved on to the river. No more thorns scratched skin. The only thing was a deer crossing their path, which was not unusual for this part of Ashenvale. They stepped out of the bush, there hadn't been an adequately marked path, and they looked upon the river. It wasn't particularly wide, and the current was quite fast. From their perspective the water flowed from the right to the left. Right in front of them was a bend in the river, making the water stream away from them towards horizon on their left.

"Yes, this is much better than that enormous crowd."

_Damn this river! Where is it taking me!_ His vision still hadn't returned, so he couldn't see where he was going. His eyes felt just as painful as the rest of his body, which didn't help the situation. He could feel the river becoming slightly calmer, though. That was something that made him feel a bit more confident about his situation. Only thing was, if he did get out of this river, he wouldn't be able to properly tend to his own wounds, he would probably bleed to death. He felt around with one hand, keeping the other on the log, and felt that the sword was still in his right leg. _Damn this river and damn this sword!_

A few minutes had passed and they had sat down to relax. Using their capes as cushions, the rocks on the water's edge weren't particularly comfortable to sit on. Suddenly Chereesa stood up and peered up stream. "What is that?" She pointed to a large shape bobbing up and down. It looked brownish and seemed to be made of individual parts attached together like limbs. "Is it a log?"

"I don't think so. . ." The shape was suddenly pulled under by the water falling down a short distance. It came back up and continued bobbing up and down as if nothing has happened. It slowed down considerably right in front of them. Xani walked a few paces into the water until the water was just above her knee. She didn't care about the water being sucked into her boots. She could now see what it was she was looking at. "Ugh! It's a satyr."

"Satyr!" Chereesa looked around nervously as if Satyrs could be jumping from the bushes at any moment. They had brought their weapons, and she held hers ready immediately.

"Don't worry, it is dead."

"That doesn't mean there aren't any more of them out here!"

"True. . ." Xani backed out of the water quickly and held her hand on the hilt of her sword. "But. . . This one is dead, so there is someone, or something out there killing Satyrs." That made her feel a bit more relaxed. "And this body could have been in this river for a long time."

"Hey!" Chereesa again pointed upstream. "There is another one coming down the river." In fact, there were three. One at a time they passed by, not being caught in the calmer water like the first one had. "Maybe there was a battle upriver somewhere, and a few bodies fell in to the river." Chereesa offered as a potential explanation.

"maybe. . ."

For a short while nothing came down the river, until they once again saw something brownish. But this brownish thing was stiffer, like a wooden log, and behind it something green clung to it.

The water was getting a lot calmer now. Breathing was going a lot easier without the fear of water getting in with every breath. Still, the massive exhaustion was getting the better of him. If he didn't find any solid ground under his feet soon, he would just slip of the log back into the water and drown. _Ouch! _His right leg smashed into a rock underwater and made the blade shift in his leg. He could feel it tear flesh and scrape bone. The water began accelerating again. _Not again! _The water suddenly dropped him and the log down a small distance and pulled him under. Again water entered his mouth just when he was he was taking a breath. He came back up began coughing all of the water in his lungs out. He lost his grip on the slippery log with one hand but was able to pull himself back up with the other.

There he clung on to the log with some of the last strength he had left in his arms. He was surprised when not very much later he felt ground sliding underneath his knees. Only now he noticed that the water had slowed down again. Slow enough for him not to drift away with the water if he let go of the log and made his way to solid, dry, ground? Only one way to find out. He let go and began his trek to the shore on his left. Slowly but steadily he felt the ground underneath his hands and knees rise. His right leg protested heavily against this continued abuse, but he made it work the way he wanted, no matter how much it hurt.

Finally he felt dry rocks underneath his hands. He didn't care how much the sun had baked them during the day. Even more relieved he was when his feet were finally both out of the water. He fell down on his back and felt numbness creeping all over his body. Against the will of his body he reached down and felt where the sword had gone through his leg. All injuries he had felt were minor in comparison to this one, and this one was the only one that could potentially cause him to loose a fatal amount of blood. It was hard to feel if he was bleeding, the leather armoured pants around the wound was completely soaked. He felt around the wound and felt blood coming up through the wound, but not in huge amounts that were immediately dangerous. Apparently the sword was acting like a plug, keeping the blood in.

Voices to his right! _What was that? _He tried to see to his right, all numbness forgotten, but couldn't for he still couldn't see. He wondered if his vision would ever come back. The voices sounded soft. A pair of them talking to each other in a questioning fashion, probably about him. In his tired mind he recognised the voices as sounding like elves. _Night-elves!_

"What in Elune's name is that!" Chereesa asked after staring at the greenish being crawling out of the river. It wore leather armour for the most part, but on it's shoulder it wore massive shoulder pads with spikes on top of them. She looked at Xani, who was just staring at the greenish being. The being had managed to make it on shore and was lying on it's back some distance away. It had drifted past them, missed the spot where the first satyr had landed in calmer water and had instead drifted towards a calm spot not far beyond the bend in the river.

Even from this distance they could see it was heavily wounded, bearing cuts on it's chest, face and off course that curved sword through it's leg. Xani took a few steps in it's direction to take a closer look. "What are you doing!"

"I am just going to take a closer look." Xani answered with a slight tremble in her voice. She thought it might be one of those orcs. It certainly fit the description of green and muscled.

"What do you think it is?" Chereesa asked when they were standing just a few paces away.

"Isn't it obvious? It's an orc." From this distance she could more accurately see it's details. It had arms and legs that were almost as thick as her waist and a chest that seemed large enough for her to hide in. On top of that was a head with an extremely heavyset jaw that supported a pair of tusks protruding from the lower jaw. The tusks weren't very large as was known of trolls, trolls were known to grow tusks the size of your upper arm. The tusks this orc had, however, still seemed large and sharp enough to go through someone's arm if it choose to bite.

The orc in front of them and shifted position and it's head turned in their direction. "Uhm. . . I think this might be one of those fighting the satyrs up river." Chereesa said with a trembling voice.

"Well. . . If the amount of satyrs and orcs floating down the river is any indication, we should be very careful. The four satyrs they had seen and the one satyr, that was a four to one ratio, obviously. It probably was only a part of what had happened up river, but Xani at least believed one of these orcs would be capable of taking on at least this number of Satyrs, especially if all orcs looked like this. Only now she noticed that the orc wasn't really looking at them. In fact, she could only see a threesome of deep cuts running across the face, right across both eyes. _It probably can't see. _

The orc growled at them fiercely, but they both saw it was just an act to hide the exhaustion. "Look at it, it is exhausted." Chereesa said.

Priestly training suddenly urged Xani to tend to this wounded creature's wounds. One of the first thing priests learned was that they should try and heal any wounded creature they can, be that another night-elf or a beast wounded in the wilds. But this creature was what they were going to fight when they arrived at the battle. She made a decision and stepped forward, muttering a calming spell.

"What are you doing!"

"I am going to do what I was trained to do as a priestess."

"What! Why! Why would you do that? _This_ is what we are going to fight!"

A thought crept in her mind. A way to benefit from capturing the brutish orc. "We can capture it and learn anything from it we don't know yet, battle tactics, numbers. I don't know, anything that matters."

"How do you plan on doing that, if you don't speak the language?"

"I'll manage, now get. . . Me. . . The. . ." The orcs was doing something she had not expected to be possible. It. . . He. . . Grabbed hold of the sword by the hilt and pulled it out of it's leg and pointed it in their direction. Blackish purple blood dripped from the blade onto the rocks below. Blood now gushed freely from the wound. The blade trembled in it's hand.

"How. . .did. . . It do that?" Chereesa asked with a mix of fear and admiration in her voice.

The blade went left and right, seemingly out of control. Xani saw that the creature didn't have long to live if this continued this way and she cast a sleeping spell. He didn't fall asleep instantly as she had expected, it heavily resisted the spell. But even this orc couldn't resist the spell in an exhausted state such as this. His arm wielding the sword fell down heavily and let the sword go. It bounced a short distance over the stones, away from the orc.

"Is it really. . . Asleep?" Chereesa asked nervously.

"No doubt." She stepped forward towards the orc much more relieved now that the orc wouldn't be able to resist. She kneeled besides the leg and inspected the wound she had identified as being the most dangerous on the short term. She held both her hands just above the wound and muttered another prayer to Elune. The wound closed up quickly, muscles and bones regenerating until the only thing remaining of the wound was a large scar on both sides of the leg. "Get me the cloaks!" Xani told Chereesa while pointing at the neatly folded capes lying a short distance away.

While Chereesa was grudgingly getting the capes, Xani tended to the chest wounds. They closed much quicker than the leg wound and so it didn't take long for her to start working the face. Chereesa returned with the capes. One Xani put underneath her knees making it a lot more comfortable for her. The other she put underneath the orc's head.

"Need me to do anything else?" Chereesa asked irritated. She clearly didn't like rescuing the orc.

"In fact, yes. Get some of the others here, so we can carry this orc back to one of the carts."

"As you wish. It won't wake up suddenly and break your neck, will it?"

"He won't. I can assure you that."

Chereesa quickly made her way back to the convoy. Xani in the mean time studied the damage to the eyes after she had healed the long cuts on the face. There were a lot of smaller cuts all over the orc's body, probably because it had been in some prolonged battle against the satyrs. _Hmm, if they fight against the satyrs they can't be complete monsters. _Eyes were a tricky thing to heal. Eyes were much more complicated than legs or most other parts of the body. These might not fully heal, even with the best care.

In the mean she couldn't help but notice the very early signs of age on the orc's face. A few wrinkles and a few spots of grey in the black hair. Other than that there were a lot small scars and one very prominent one that ran across the nasal bone. _This one must have seen a lot of battles._ She couldn't help but admire the fact that it had managed to survive so many battles for that long.

Not long after that Chereesa came back with none other than Kaylin in tow. Kaylin stepped out of the bushes and walked over to still unmoving orc. "What is the meaning of this, Xani. Are you even going to save every being on your lonely journeys away from everybody else? Even if they are the enemy?" Kaylin seemed to berate her with every word she spoke. Chereesa just stood behind Kaylin, unwilling to jump in and give her friend some support, although there wasn't much she could do.

"I thought you of all people would understand the advantage of easily capturing an enemy for interrogation?" Xani bounced back fiercely. She wasn't going to let her social problems get in the way of her priestly training now.

This made Kaylin waver for a moment. But she would find some other way to berate Xani. "And how exactly do you suggest we extract information from this being? None of us speak their language and I doubt it speaks ours." She took a brief look at the orc's eyes and then looked back towards Xani. "And it looks like those eyes are pretty damaged, I doubt you can teach it our language without it being able to see."

_She is quick! _She thought. _Hadn't thought of that yet._ She quickly came up with something and then said, "I'll manage, somehow."

"Right. . . You do have a point, though. We barely know anything about their numbers and tactics. Some information wouldn't hurt. You have permission to do anything you can to save this. . . _individual. . . _and make it talk. You can use any potions if you need them and you will have one of the carts for your use. You!" She turned to a few others that had been trailing Kaylin. "Carry this green. . . Thing, back to the convoy." She turned back to Xani. "If that is okay with you of course. Does it need any more stabilization here?"

"You may bring it to the convoy." Xani said with a small inclination of her head.

Four night-elves of about equal length walked to the shoulders and legs of the orc and then picked him up. "It weighs a ton!" One of them exclaimed, but they nonetheless did as they were told.

It felt like a small victory to Xani to have been able to convince Kaylin of something. And she smiled while she watched Kaylin follow the four back through the bushes. "That went better than I had expected." Xani told Chereesa, who had walked to Xani's side.

"Went better than I had thought it would as well." Chereesa smiled for a moment. "I think you handled yourself very well." Chereesa said, referring to Xani's difficulty with talking to anybody she didn't fully trust. "You really convinced me the moment you convinced Kaylin. It is not such a bad idea. Except, of course, the fact that communication will be difficult."

"Thank you, and I will find a way to talk with the orc, if I don't I am going to have a really big problem with Kaylin the rest of this battle campaign."

"You got that right."

They started walking back to the convoy. They didn't put it beyond Kaylin to leave without them, even in a situation like this. Almost halfway to the convoy shivers went up and down Xani's back. She also felt a change in the air, not in the wind or warmth, but in feeling, somehow. "Did you feel that?" Xani asked, still shivering.

"What? Something unpleasant?"

"Absolutely." The feeling only grew bigger and bigger. "Something definitely happened just now. And it wasn't very far away." It was as if some kind of power source had been tapped and now that power was spreading. And it was a very _unpleasant_ power.

Somewhere near that very power source an orc stepped from the forest. A thick mist hung around this part of the forest. He had been walking aimlessly to the north for some time, on his own, every now and then killing a lonely satyr. Right now he was being escorted by two other orcs. Both of which had been with Grom Hellscream's front-end-force. The orc being escorted noticed that both of them had a very different posture then before, a more threatening posture as if they were trying to ward of challengers. He couldn't also help but notice the fierce red fire burning in their eyes. It was not unlike the fire seen on the masks of shamans, but it was much deeper, and burned much fiercer. Every orc he saw now had that very light in his or her eyes. It made him feel uncomfortable to say the least.

He warily kept a tight grip on his axe, unwilling to part with it while feeling so uncomfortable. He had been told they were taking him to the chieftain, maybe he would be able to explain all this.

He passed more and more orcs. All of them seemed to have changed. They were more aggressive, constantly shouting at each other and quarrelling with one another. they seemed to be a disorganised bunch. He even saw a few orcs practising some kind of demonic magic, magic like the satyr had been using. A few memories came up. They were about stories from the old horde, when the orcs had been just as disorganised. More memories came up, about older orcs telling how they had felt an immense and inescapable rage spread through them every time some challenge or opponent showed itself.

The path they were walking made a turn to the left and beyond the trees he saw their famed chieftain, standing over some pool. The pool radiated a red light, much like the lights in the eyes he had seen. The power radiating from the pool felt extremely erratic and. . . Demonic, somehow.

One of his escorts grunted and the chieftain immediately whirled around to look at the newcomer. The chieftain seemed larger, even more full of energy than usual. "Ah! You have finally found us. Nielak, isn't that your name? I had been told they had found someone from the rear end of the convoy."

"It is, my name." Nielak simply said.

"Come Nielak. Gaze upon what is your birthright."

He walked up to Grom. Up a small stairs onto a small plateau. He gazed down at the pool that swirled beneath him. So much power emanated from it that his hairs on his arms stood upright. "What is this?"

"Well, your birthright of course!" Grom waved his hand at the pool as if he were trying to grasp the power and pull it to him. "_This_ is what brought us to this world."

"Yes. . . But _what_ is it?" Grom's face turned a bit sour, all energy momentarily fading away.

"I can answer that question!" A heavy and loud voice sounded. The voice had a deep and ancient ring to it, but at the same time a demonic tone. And a demon the speaker was indeed. Not far away from them a massive form stepped from the trees. Four legs ending in long claws at the feet supported a body that stood at least four times the height of an orc. A spiked tail trailed behind the creature in a lazy fashion. The front legs also supported a torso. Across the chest the demon wore a massive plate with many figures engraved upon it. In it's right hand it carried a massive ornate spear. The head had two massive tusks, and in it's eyes bright green hellish fire burned. As the demon came closer, Nielak could feel the heat of it's breath. From the demon's back two wings protruded that seemed but an afterthought, for they would never be able to lift such a massive creature naturally.

Mannoroth! I told you I didn't want to see your ugly face anymore! You might be the master, but that doesn't make me _like _you!"

"You can't tell me to do anything, _Hellscream_! Anyway, I will leave you to your little squabbling with night-elves, after I inform this sorry excuse for an orc about his birthright." The demon named Mannoroth turned towards Nielak and gazed down upon the orc. "Yes, as your little chieftain here said, this is your birthright. What you see in this pool is the rage that now travels through Hellscream's veins, and through the veins of the other orcs gathered here. It is my blood, and it binds you to me, your creator as you are now!"

"But we were freed from that!" Nielak protested.

The demon merely laughed loud at that. "You were never free from it and you never will be. Now drink from the pool and be what you were meant to be."

Nielak looked around at the other orcs. He now noticed that the change in aggressiveness and the red lights were not the only changes. The orcs had physically changed. Their skin had taken a red colour and they had grown. Even Grom looked that way. Would he be just like that if he drank from the pool? He had heard Talgrun talk about the old horde. Talgrun had never mentioned red skin, only the red lights were something he had spoken of. Maybe if he were prepared he could resist the effects of the rage, but he had heard Talgrun speak of how even the mighty chieftains of the clans had difficulty keeping the rage in check. He would have to try, if he didn't drink they would probably kill him, but he vowed he would resist as much as he could.

"Nielak, this. . ." Grom pointed around all those around them. "Is what we were meant to be, now be a part of it. It will give us the strength to utterly crush those puny elves."

"Alright, I'll drink." He finally said, after having thought it over for some time.

"Wise decision." The demon looming above him boomed.

Grom handed him a cup and added, "Make sure you take a full cup."

Nielak kneeled before the pool, dipped the cup fully into the liquid and then brought it back up towards his mouth. He did just as Grom had said, a full cup, filled to the edge. He tipped the cup so the _blood_ of this demon fell into his mouth.

He swallowed.

At first it felt like he had just drunk an extremely strong beverage. It burned in his stomach, but instead of getting less after a while, it grew stronger. The burning expanded through his veins. He could feel it strengthen him, give him strength beyond any he had ever dreamed of. It rose to his head and seemed to momentarily burn his mind, and then the entire burning feeling died down again, but it didn't disappear. He immediately missed the feeling of ultimate power, he wanted to drink more. He also knew he wouldn't be allowed. Then he remembered something else, his vow to resist. A large part of him resisted, but he managed to push away the feeling. It still lingered in his thoughts and he had no doubt it would come back, but for now it was gone.

He stood back up and looked at Grom. He felt taller, larger in general. Still a burning sensation remained in his eyes. He presumed it was the burning lights he would now have in his eyes.

"Perfect!" The demon boomed. The demon turned around again and went back into the forest.

Grom looked at the fading form with intense hatred. Grom turned to Nielak again and looked him up and down. "Hmm, it seems you have more control over the rage than the rest of this bunch." He pointed some of the other orcs. "I like that, shows restraint when it is necessary."

"Who was that?" Nielak asked, inquiring about the demon.

"Mannoroth, I despise him more than anything, but he is what he is."

"And what is that?"

"He is both our creator and our ultimate master." Grom averted his eyes for a moment, as if he didn't want to belief that.

A/N I hope you figured it out, if you didn't, well. . . say so and I wont do it again :)

Anyway, after this, chapters will probably get back to more manageable lengths, good for you, good for me. At least I think they will, can't be certain until I finish those chapters.


	6. Chapter 4: Why Me?

So, chapter 4 is here.

To be honest, I had not planned to give Nielak such a big role. But I figured he fit in pretty well to give some added information about Cenarius and what happens with the Warsong clan. Therefore I'll keep him around.

**Chapter 4: Why Me?**

Two days later, on a ridge not very far from the Warsong settlement, one orc was sitting on the ground, a child sitting beside him. In contrast to his own reddish skin, the child was still green. Below him the settlement bustled with activity. Preparations were being made to assault the night-elven base. All of them were full of the unnatural bloodlust, but not all of them had chosen to drink from the pool. Warlord Firetusk was one of those who had resisted drinking from the pool. But even the warlord had turned red and was full of bloodlust, apparently you didn't have to drink to become just like the chieftain, although those that hadn't drunk from the pool did show more restraint over the rage. Fortunately the children had not been affected, yet. At least not directly, but they were emulating their parents.

"So. . . Adonai, how are you feeling today?" Nielak said, turning to his little boy.

The little boy clawed at the grass for a few moments before speaking. "Good." The boy looked up for a moment, then down again. The boy had been afraid to look into Nielak's eyes the moment they had first seen each other again.

"Oh, come one! You can say something more than just 'good'. How about. . . What you are going to do today?"

Adonai continued clawing the grass for a moment. "I am going to practise with my sisters and some of the other kids."

"Practise at what?"

"Fighting with axes, one of the elder warriors will be there to keep watch."

Nielak's smile vanished. Those two girls were only four and seven years old. He could understand his oldest son wanting to do that, but a four year old girl? "And they wanted to come, they said that?"

"Yes, they did, both of them."

"Don't you think your sisters are a bit young for that? They are only four and seven."

"Will you forbid it?" The boy looked up and looked at him sharply.

Nielak had always been to kind as a parent, even now. "No, of course I wont forbid it, but. . . They could hurt themselves. If it makes any difference, I would rather not have you take your sisters to that practise."

"They wont get hurt, we are using padded practise weapons anyway."

"Well, as long as you make sure they don't get hurt. . . They will be your responsibility, because I can't be there to make sure they don't get hurt."

"Why?" The boy looked down again, at where he had been continuously clawing with his hand.

"Grom wanted to see me. He didn't tell me why."

"You are going to see the chieftain!" The little Adonai thought of the chieftain as if he were some sort of deity. Which was not strange when someone has gone undefeated for his whole life, even when Hellscream had led the Warsong clan from Dreanor to Azeroth to ensure the clan's survival.

"Yes."

"Will you tell me about him when you get back?"

"Of course. Why not, I still haven't come up with a new story to tell yet."

Three figures were coming towards them. Two small one of average height for an orc. Nielak recognised them as being the rest of his family, Jirina and his two daughters. Behind them another orc came towards Adonai and him. This last orc was wearing the standard warrior outfit, except the orc wearing it was very old. Where Talgrun had been somewhere around forty years old, he had never bothered to ask Talgrun's exact age, the orc coming towards him now seemed to be double that, although he was probably not quite that old. Years of warfare had seriously decreased the amount of old warriors, so it was a bit surprising to see such an old orc. Than this was probably the elder warrior whom was going to supervise the axe training.

And his suspicions were confirmed not long after that. "Adonai!" The oldest of his daughters called. "The elder is here already!"

"Already?" Adonai asked. "We weren't supposed to begin for some time." The girl merely pointed at the old warrior trudging his way towards them.

They waited until the warrior had caught up with them. Nielak hoped he wouldn't end up like this. He didn't mind getting old, but this old. . . It would make him useless in battle and in most other tasks. Apparently this old warrior had found a adequate way to pass his time. "So Adonai, are you ready to begin?" The old warrior asked. Nielak was slightly surprised to still hear a lot life in this old warrior's voice. "Never to early to start training."

"Of course." Adonai immediately got up on his feet and walked over to the elder.

"Go on ahead, the others are waiting down there." The elder pointed towards a small opening in between tents and structures where a small crowd had gathered. "When we are all there, we will head to the training area."

"Okay." Adonai turned towards Nielak and quickly said, "Bye dad!" Before running down towards the gathered orclings. The two girls quickly followed, leaving Nielak, Jirina and the elder warrior.

"Don't worry, I'll make sure they won't get hurt." The elder warrior said.

Nielak barely managed to keep himself from saying, 'You can barely keep yourself from getting hurt.' But apparently his look gave him away, for the warrior sighed with contempt, but otherwise didn't do anything. Nielak walked towards elder and angrily grabbed him by the collar of his leather armour. "Is it your idea to train four year old orclings with axes!" Nielak asked aggressively, rage building up.

The elder pushed him away and said, "As I said, it is never to early to begin training. Actually I am a bit surprised that you haven't begun training Adonai yourself."

"We're not talking about Adonai here!"

"Anyway, I don't see any problem. If they stay at home, they do nothing. And they wont get hurt during training, I promise."

"You had better make sure they don't get hurt, or I. . ." He had been steadily walking closer to the elder again, but Jirina cut in.

"come on, let's not rip each other's guts out." She said while putting one arm in front of Nielak.

The elder got the hint and began walking towards the gathered orclings.

Nielak pushed back the rage while turning away from the retreating elder. "Thank you for that." He smiled for a moment at his mate. She had just like all the others turned red. To Nielak, the hardest thing to adjust to was the fact that Jirina had also changed. Jirina was a warrior herself, which was how Nielak had met her. She, however, was given enough time to tend to her children, so she didn't have to guard working peons.

When Grom had returned and announced that they had found the solution to their night-elf problem, she had been extremely supportive of it. Grom had of course left out the part Mannoroth played in all this, that would make a lot of the orcs question their leader's sanity. Maybe he would begin preparing the clan for the truth after they completely eradicated the elves here.

Nielak had managed to convince Jirina that the bloodlust wasn't all that great. He had tried to omit the part Mannoroth had played, but had eventually needed to tell her that detail as well. From that moment on she had suppressed the rage just as he had. She even appeared to be doing a better job of it.

"No problem. So what is it that Grom wants to talk to you about?"

"Didn't I just say something like, 'I don't know'"

"So you really don't know?"

"I don't, but I reckon it has something to do with this. . . _Gift." _He said that last with utter contempt "I don't know what else he could possibly want to talk to me about."

"So. . . When does he want to talk to you?"

"Today. I don't know exactly. In fact, I think it might be better if I go now." He again smiled at her and without saying anything else walked towards the small fortress in the distance.

It didn't take him long to get there. The elite guards had let him pass without questioning him, apparently they knew he was being expected. Just before going in through the front entrance, he stood still and looked up at the small fortress. He could hardly belief this was where he had used to tell stories to the same orclings who were being trained with axes. The structure had been completely fortified. A fortified gate had hastily been put in place and the walls had been fortified. The towers which had been under construction only days ago had been finished.

He had seen enough of what they had done to this place and he stepped inside. Inside there hung a gloomy atmosphere. Even though the corridors were adequately light, he still had the impression something was hiding in every dark corner. He passed several small rooms where a few orcs were training in the use of the demonic magic, he even saw a few former shamans among them. Eventually he came upon a large central chamber. It featured several tables and a large stairs going up towards a platform above the central chamber. A few of the most senior officers were present and momentarily looked at him before returning to their conversations concerning battle-tactics. He even saw Warlord Firetusk arguing with a few other officers. Firetusk was rather young to be a Warlord, but he had risen quickly through the ranks.

Voices came from on the platform. One of them was without a doubt an angered Grom Hellscream. He made his way up the stairs and saw a passage way to another room. "No, for the last time! I will not have these beasts here! And they never will be if it is up to me! Take them out of my sight and back to your master!"

Nielak looked through the passage and saw a demon standing in the middle of the room. It was not Mannoroth, nor was it a demon like Mannoroth. This one stood on only two hoofed legs, but also had wings. This one's wings, however, seemed to be capable of lifting the demon. Long horns jutted from it's ugly head. It bore armour as well and in it's right it held a flaming blade.

Beside the demon stood two other creatures. These looked a bit like the beasts called dogs, which the humans seemed to keep as pets. Except these didn't seem to have any necks and they had a much large mouth filled with much larger teeth. Also, from their backs jutted a pair of tentacles that waved around, as if they were searching for something.

"But Mannoroth was adamant that. . ." The larger demon started to protest.

"I do NOT care what Mannoroth said! I don't want these vile Fellbeasts, nor do I want your kind for help with taking down Cenarius. If Cenarius is to be killed, than that will be done by an orcish axe, not some demonic trick."

Again the demon protested. Grom walked to one wall of the chamber and picked up an axe. He walked back to the demon, who did not seem to take the hint. "Mannoroth. . ."

Grom swung the axe at the head of one of the fellbeasts. The fellbeast fell instantly and didn't even have time to yelp in pain. The larger demon sighed for a moment, but otherwise didn't show any emotion over the death of the fellbeast. Again the axe swung. This time the fellbeast fell, also with a hole in it's head. "I do not want your kind around. Tell that to your _master_. And if he has a problem with it let him come in here personally, I don't think he will fit in here." Grom looked up at the roof, which was not very far away.

The demon, for a moment, looked up as well after which it said, "Very well, but he will not be pleased by this. You are underestimating Cenarius." In a green flash the demon was gone.

Grom let out a sigh of relief and then whispered, "_Demons_." With as much venom in his voice as possible. "You can come in now, Nielak." Nielak did just that and approached Grom. Grom turned to him. "How long have you been standing there?" He inquired.

"Somewhere around Mannoroth being adamant about something." Nielak waited a few moments before going on. "What were those?"

"That Doomguard came teleporting, or what ever they call it, in here and demanded that I used those two feeble fellbeasts to attack Cenarius. He even demanded that I let Mannoroth build a small portal here, through which those _demons_ would be able to send soldiers of their own."

"A portal?" Nielak asked a bit disbelieving.

"Somewhat like the Dark Portal through we came to this world, only a lot smaller, barely capable of sending one of those Doomguard through."

"Oh." Silence reigned for a moment, until Nielak finally asked, "So, why did you ask me here?"

"Ah, yes. Well, as you might be able to imagine, my guards have been severely diminished during our little tour to Mannoroth's little _well_. So I need some new ones I know are skilled to replace them." He halted for a moment, letting Nielak absorb the information thus far. "Congratulations, you're now a honour guard of the Warsong clan." Grom looked at him with a small smile. "Well. . ."

"Well. . . Thanks. . . didn't really expect that."

"Don't worry, you will still be in the attack on the night-elf bases. Because I am leading that assault, tomorrow."

He didn't really care that much about being all the way in front of all the other orcs, but why would Grom want him as a personal guard? He wasn't the most skilled warrior ever, he knew he would never be a match for one of the other honour guards. Or maybe it was because of his apparent control over the bloodlust. _Yes, that must be it, he doesn't want guards who may loose their senses in the middle of a battle_. Another thought slipped in. _Wait a minute, assault, tomorrow? It wasn't supposed to be in a few days._

He uttered that last thought to Grom, "You just said the assault is going to be tomorrow?"

"Yes, I did say that. Now, go to the armoury downstairs and receive your new armour. It might be a little bit roomy, but it is the closed we can get to your size until you get a custom made set." Grom encouraged him to go get the armour with a nod of his head in the direction of the entrance.

Within seconds he was at the bottom of the stairs again and was looking around for the armoury. It didn't take long to find, there was a large opening in the wall beyond which there was a room filled armour like that which the guards were wearing. A peon pointed out which one was his. Eagerly he tried it on and found it was roomy as Grom had said, but not roomy enough to be a hindrance. He noticed the armour had a few scratches on it, apparently it had already seen some battle. The peon handed him a small scroll as well, saying that it was a sort instruction manual.

Proud of his new status and armour he walked back to what passed as his house, a small dome like structure made from wood and leather to keep the rain out. Jirina saw him coming and put whatever it was she was doing down on the ground and walked up to him. "What is that you're wearing?"

"Grom promoted me to his honour guard!" He said proudly. He turned around to show her the armour from the side and back as well.

"Honour guard!" She said surprised. "What did you do to earn that, to go from being a grunt to honour guard."

"Apparently he needed replacements to fill some gaps, and wanted someone who wouldn't go berserk in a battle to fill one of those spots. Of course the fact that I walked out of a satyr infested forest with barely a scratch added as well." He didn't mention the fact that he hadn't seen a lot of satyrs, and those he did see and fight were alone. He didn't need to say it either, for he had already told her that the moment he returned from the expedition.

Jirina ran her finger up and down a few ornate edges. "It suits you well." She looked at the scroll he was tightly holding in his left hand. "What's that?"

"Uhm," He unrolled it partially and looked at the orcish writing. "Just what it is I have to do as an honour guard. Protect the chieftain. Take orders only from the Chieftain or the Warlord, except when told otherwise by the Chieftain or Warlord." He unrolled it further and a small piece of parchment fell out. It slowly drifted down and landed on his heavy metal boot. With a small sigh he lifted that boot up and with one hand he plucked the small parchment of his boot. He looked at it and saw it was a short message.

"What does it say?"

"Uhm, it is just orders for tomorrow, 'gather at dawn at the fortress for inspection.'" The rest of the day passed quickly. Nielak kept the armour on all day long, so he could surprise Adonai and his sisters when they got home. Surprised they were indeed, proud they were as well. For a moment there, they were the perfect orcish family.

* * *

One day before,

Xani inspected the eyes of this green creature that they had brought back. She had used some salves and the best spells she knew, but it would be some time before they would find out if the green creature would be able to see again. She worked through the night to find the best salves and potions to get the being back up to strength. All the while it had remained asleep, longer than the sleep spell had been meant to work. Once it had said something in it's sleep, but she didn't know what it had been saying. On Kaylin's orders she had bound him to the bed with leather bonds to make sure it wouldn't be able to do anything, one thing Xani had not disagreed with.

Xani had the huge shoulder armour in her arms. She had removed the heavy boots and shoulder armour so she could more easily work. Now she was weighing the heavy shoulder armour in her arms. It seemed so heavy to her, she doubted how anything would be able to use it effectively. She put the armour on the ground next to the boots and she sat down on a small bench. The cart they were on rocked heavily from one side to the other. So heavily that Chereesa fell of another bench, on which she had been sleeping. The two of them had worked through the night, Chereesa assisting her with potions. Both of them had taken turns to sleep, so one could keep watch over the sleeping orc.

Chereesa looked tiredly and said, "I want some of those bonds to." She pointed at the leather bonds that kept the orc on the bed. "At least I will lie still then when that cart goes sideways again." She lay back down and after a few moments dozed of again.

Xani smiled for a moment at her now sleeping friend and then stood up. She walked towards the orc, holding on to whatever she could hold on to when one of the cart's wheels again bumped into some large rock. She peeked underneath the bandage she had put over the eyes, at this stage of healing sunlight might do damage to the eyes. The eyes seemed to be healing alright, but she couldn't be certain until she took the bandage of in a few days.

She sat back down and took the belt the orc had been wearing in her hands. On it were a number of small bags. She glanced into each one of them and saw some emergency supplies that had been spoiled by the water. In another she saw a pair of rocks and a small flask. She took the stones in her and slammed them into each other. Sparks flew away from where the two stones met. _So in the flask is probably something flammable. Put the liquid on some wood and ignite the liquid with the stones. Handy. _She admired the simplicity of it all.

She moved on to the last bag. She opened it up and saw that there was a crystal inside. She pulled it out and looked through it. It glowed a little bit with a blue colour. When she moved it closer to the orc it glowed brighter. Long ago she had learned to probe magical objects with her own magic. She did so now, but couldn't find anything specific. Either the crystal only glowed when close to it's owner, or it's true purpose was hidden so well she couldn't find out.

The convoy ground to a halt. Xani looked outside and saw the sun was high in the sky. _Midday break_. In a few minutes rations would be brought to them. She walked over to Chereesa and poked her in the side. A reflex made Chereesa's body bent to the side and she immediately woke up. "What! I was just sleeping again."

"If you don't want your food, I'll take it. I'm starving."

Chereesa sat up immediately. "No no no, I'll take my share." Not long after that someone brought food to the cart and they started eating.

Xani sat at a small table which was normally used to put vials of potions down when they weren't being used. Now all those potions were in the large box that was secured to the table so it wouldn't fall of while the cart was once again rocking from side to side. Xani was looking at the crystal intently, trying to probe it's secrets. Every now and then she moved the hand with the crystal closer to the orc. Without failure, the crystal glowed brighter every time.

"Where'd you get that crystal?" Chereesa asked.

"The orc had it in one of his bags." She put it down on the table and walked to her own bag. From it she took the wooden board she used to support parchment while drawing. She also took a piece of parchment and a pencil. She sat down again and started drawing the crystal.

"What are you doing? Uh, I mean, why are you drawing that crystal?"

"It is not everyday that I get the opportunity to draw a crystal."

"Right."

An hour after that the convoy started moving again. The orc started moving for the first time. Xani immediately put away the multitude of sketches she had made and went to the orc's side.

* * *

Talgrun opened his eyes, at least, that was what he wanted to do, but something held his eyes closed. He tried to reach up, but his arms were restrained as well. He tried to move every part of his body, but only succeeded in lifting his head. The ground seemed to be moving, sometimes tilting from one side to the other. _Transportation_. He thought. The last thing he remembered was having just crawled from a river, when some night-elves interrupted him. He remembered pulling the sword from his leg and doubted if it had been wisest thing to do. Just after that he had passed out. He didn't remember having any dreams, but he usually couldn't remember them anyway. _Alright, if I am still alive, and I think I am because it wouldn't be a good thing if this is the afterlife, then I am probably a prisoner now. And the only reason they would keep me alive would be to learn anything they can from me. However, they did heal my wounds. _He reasoned with himself.

This all seemed really familiar, having been a prisoner before. But back then the humans hadn't bound him down on a bed. Back then there had also been a human who spoke orcish, significantly enhancing his ability to communicate with his captors. _There probably aren't any elves that speak orcish though._

He felt a light touch on his skin. After that a soft voice said something, that might have been a greeting. After that a question. He could only imagine the question to be 'how are you doing?' or something similar, anything else wouldn't make a lot of sense. He had learned a foreign language before, the human language 'common' taught to him by the very same translator that had been one of his captors. He was fairly fluent in common. _So what do we start with normally? Something simple probably. Each other's names would be a good start. _

However, he couldn't think of a reason to actually try. Why would he try to talk to those that had started a battle against his clan. The clan had just been deforesting a part of the forest. _Hmm, maybe I can find out why they attacked us_. With that thought in mind he decided it might be best to cooperate with his captors, at least for the moment.

He felt something cold and pointy against his neck, a sword. It tapped there a couple of times as if to make a point that if he tried to anything he would be sliced to bits. The sword was removed and a few seconds after that his right hand was unleashed. He flexed the hand for a moment and again felt the sword in his neck, as if to warn him to not try anything. A conversation he didn't understand a word of began just after that. Apparently there were two elves there, or more. The conversation didn't take long. One of the elves touched him for on the chest for a moment, just above where his heart was. A question followed and then something else. _That was smart, that could be a lot of thing. Could be 'who are you?' or 'what are you?' hmmpf it could even be 'do you have heart problems?' _

Apparently the elf to figured out it wasn't very smart, for she tried it another way. She took his hand and directed it to her chest and said something, then she directed his hand to his own chest and asked something. This made slightly more sense. Probably names. And if so, her name was Xani. He said his own name, "Talgrun" _I have learned someone's name! oh yes, I am making progress in life. _He said to himself sarcastically.

* * *

Xani and Chereesa were both exited that they had made progress. They were a bit surprised that Talgrun was being so cooperative, but they reasoned that it must be in his own interest. They continued trying to communicate with the orc until nightfall. In that time they managed to tell Talgrun Chereesa's name. Teach Talgrun 'yes' and 'no' and other 'easy' words. Even though they had not been able to learn anything of importance themselves, they were still proud they had made any progress. Especially since Kaylin had doubted they could teach Talgrun anything since he was, at least for the moment, blind.

Just after nightfall Talgrun fell asleep. "I wonder what Kaylin will say when she finds we did something she found unlikely." Chereesa started.

"Maybe you can find out. What did I find unlikely and what did you succeed at?" Kaylin asked sternly from just outside the cart. She stepped on and walked over to Talgrun and inspected his sleeping form.

"Well, we were able to successfully start a conversation about food." Xani said proudly.

"Food?" Kaylin asked. "I need to how many orcs there are and you start a conversation about food?"

"Well, actually he started the conversation, by being hungry. But maybe we can eventually start asking him about supply routes." Xani was making up that last part on the spot, but it seemed to convince Kaylin at least partially.

"And why is it being so. . . Helpful? How did you convince it?"

"We didn't, but we think it might be in the orc's own interest to learn our language." Chereesa explained.

"Right. . . Well, I must say I am not displeased by your progress. You two did better than I thought you could." She stepped out of the cart again. "Oh, one more thing." She turned around to look at them. "I don't want you untying it fully at any time, even when one of you is holding a sword or bow. I noticed you untied one arm, no more than that. Understood?"

Xani and Chereesa both made a slight bow and then sat down. Chereesa looked at the sleeping orc and asked, "I wonder what it is dreaming, if it dreams at all."

* * *

All around Talgrun malformed trees stood upon the little dry land that remained in this marsh. Sunlight barely made it through the canopy and the brownish mist. The smell of death and decay was thick in the air. In front of Talgrun was a small dent in the landscape. It looked like it was some sort of crater from an explosion. The explosion must have been some time ago, for water had pooled on the bottom of the crater and the edges of the crater had eroded. 

However, he didn't look at all these details. What he did look at were the bodies on the bottom of the pit. He recognised every single one of them and knew every one of them well. There he saw Malkak's body, and not far away from Malkak lay Garona. And all of them bore the same wounds of which he had seen them die. The water had turned dark purple from all the blood that seeped into that water. He looked at all the bodies for a few moments and tried to remember them. He could remember them all, better than he normally could. He caught sight of one particular female. She had been dead a long time, but here she lay. Her body wasn't decaying, only a gaping hole in her chest where a human spear had gone straight through.

"Ri'no?" He said, saying the nickname of the one woman he had loved. Her real name he had heard only once, but it was so long that he had always called her 'Ri'no' for short. And as far as he was concerned, the short version was her real name.

He walked down to her from the edge of the crater where he had been standing. Kneeling down beside her he lifted her green face from the ground. Her eyes were closed, at peace. She had died almost two decades ago, when a human patrol ambushed their patrol. It had been in this very swamp, he recognised it now. The Swamp of Sorrows, accurately named as far as he was concerned.

A shadow passed over him. He looked up, and saw Malkak standing over him. The spot were Malkak's apparent dead body had been lying was vacant now. Talgrun didn't know how Malkak had exactly died, but here he stood with many long, deep, cuts all over he body. One arm seemed to be almost severed from the torso. Dried blood was all over his destroyed armour. "Hello Talgrun." Malkak said as if he had no injuries at all. "What are you doing here?" More of the dead memories lined up behind Malkak. He looked back down at Ri'no, only to see that she to had stood up.

He backed up away from what they had become. "What are you doing here?" Malkak asked again, this time backed by Garona. "What are you doing here?" Now every one of them asked it.

"Are you here to join us?" Ri'no asked. The crowd cheered happily at him.

"What is this? You are all dead!" Talgrun shouted.

"Well of course we are all dead, just look at us!" Ri'no returned. "So, are you here to join us?" She spread her arms around two of the dead memories at her side, as if they were he best friends.

"No! I am still alive and am planning to stay that for a while."

"Are you sure you want that? Are you sure you want to continue on, now that you have lost practically everybody you have ever liked or loved." His parents now stepped to the front of the crowd, bearing the deadly wounds they had sustained in an assault from another clan back when the clans weren't united yet, on Dreanor.

His knees desperately wanted to give way, but he kept himself standing. He put some distance in between himself and the crowd. But instead of making things better that way, he made things worse. While walking backwards he bumped into someone. He turned and looked right into the face of Krizslak. All flesh had disappeared underneath his skin and his eyes had sunken deep in their sockets. His shaman robes were torn and stained. "Hello, Talgrun." Talgrun looked at the crowd, now some distance away, and then back at Krizslak. "Ah. You are asking yourself why I am not among them? Well, my body may be dead, but that soul drain preserved my, well, soul. However, you know that means I am as good as dead." Krizslak moved passed Talgrun and walked towards the crowd and took a place in front of them.

"So why me?" Talgrun asked the crowd. "Why am I still alive while you are all dead? Well?" Ri'no stepped forward, out of the crowd, and walked towards him. She came to a halt a few paces from him. "Why me, Ri'no?" He pleaded her.

She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could say anything her form dissipated and vanished. The whole crowd also vanished, leaving Talgrun alone. Now his knees did give way, but when his knees hit the ground, everything went black.


	7. Chapter 5: A Change

This is just a short chapter, but I wanted to start the next chapter in a certain way. Which I could only do with this part of the story done. So here it is!

**Chapter 5: A Change**

The next day, around noon, the convoy finally arrived at the night-elven base. Kaylin had, just like all the commanders from the convoy, gone to a meeting concerning the orcish settlement, leaving Xani and Chereesa to continue their teaching. They had started again when Talgrun had woken again, which was just after sunrise this time.

"It is almost as if he has done this before." Chereesa remarked, referring to Talgrun's ability to quickly pick up the basics of their language.

"Or maybe he is just very talented with languages."

"Maybe. Do you think he can understand what we are saying now?"

"Nah. We are talking way to fast for him now." They had to talk very slowly so Talgrun could process the words individually. When they were talking normally, there was no way he could understand.

* * *

Talgrun in the mean time was distracted by an old feeling. A disturbing old feeling, which was not to different from what he had felt when getting closer to Grom's precious power source. And when Xani and the other elf he had come to know as Chereesa were discussing what to talk about with him next, he Wondered if Nielak had survived. Maybe he had somehow circumvented the satyrs and ended up with Grom, or maybe he just headed back to the settlement, if he survived at all. He pondered what he actually had left to life for, besides finding out why the elves had attacked his settlement. _Even if I find out, what am I going to with that knowledge? Escape? Not unless they untie me and somehow give me my vision back. Hmm, what will they do to me after they have gotten from me what they want? Kill me, probably. . . Well, maybe not, but they are not going to just let me go. _

* * *

Xani and Chereesa were discussing what subject should be taken on with Talgrun when Kaylin returned from her meeting with the other commanders. "So, made any progress since I last checked on you before the meeting?" She asked as sternly as ever.

"A little, but not significant." Chereesa responded.

"Uhm, it might help if we can untie him, so he can use his hands to make signs. To clarify what he says." Xani added.

"I told you, he would not hesitate to hit you in the head and make a run for it."

"I doubt that, first of all he can't see my head, and second he knows he can't see anything. We can keep him on a long rope if he does try anything, so he can't get out even if he tries."

"Yeah!" Chereesa added enthusiastically.

Kaylin just looked at them with a suspicious look, but eventually said, "Alright, but you put the new bond on before unleashing the old ones."

"Of course." Chereesa said. Kaylin didn't hear that, she had already left again. "You just thought that up?"

"I did."

Chereesa smiled broadly at her. They immediately started working on replacing the bonds. When they unleashed the old bonds, they immediately backed of, to see what Talgrun would do. To their relief, he was only mildly surprised by the change and sat up straight and stretched, but didn't try to make a run for it. He reached for his eyes to feel, but was stopped by Xani.

"No! Don't, bad. Eyes, heal." They had had a talk about his eyes before, that they would take time to heal.

"Okay." Talgrun said heavily accented, and he put his hands back down. His feet had been untied as well and he stood up of the bed on which he had been lying for the past two days. He tested the bond on his right hand and found it wouldn't give way. After he had become used to little bit of freedom, they again started a conversation. This time about numbers and eventually, Xani hoped, about how many orcs there were.

By nightfall, Chereesa had gone out and gathered some information concerning the orcs, from those that had been fighting them. Xani had preferred to continue talking to Talgrun, as she felt more comfortable leaving this to Chereesa. Chereesa didn't take long to gather the information.

"Well? What did you find out?" Xani asked when Chereesa returned.

Chereesa sat down and began explaining. "It seems that Talgrun here is a rather large orc. On average they are quite a bit shorter, but nonetheless they all seem to be just as muscled. Recently there seems to have been a change amongst them. It seems they have turned red!"

"Red? You have to be kidding me. that's ridiculous."

"That's what I thought, so I talked to a few more. They all said the same, scouts have reported they all of the orcs have turned red. They haven't fought against these. . . Red. . . Orcs yet, but from what the scouts report, they seem to be even more brutal than the previous green orcs."

"So did they replace all the earlier orcs with these new ones or something?"

"You're not hearing me, they green orcs changed into red orcs."

Apparently Chereesa had said that last part slowly enough for Talgrun to understand. "Red orcs?" He inquired.

"If they are more brutal than the green orcs, then let's hope that Talgrun here doesn't. . . change." Xani said

"Red orcs?" Talgrun again inquired in his characteristically accented voice.

"Yes." Xani answered. "Why?" Xani asked in return.

Talgrun shrugged and said, "Don't know. It bad?"

_If it is bad. For who? Well, he seems to a reasonable orc, not prone to being exceptionally brutal. In his case I guess bad for him and us. _"Yes, bad." She said.

Talgrun sat down on the bed, obviously unsettled. He _looked _up at her and seemed to be frowning, thinking deeply, for the blindfold moved a bit over his eyes. He brought his hands up and made diamond shaped signal in the air and said a word, as if he were asking for an object.

"I think he is asking for the crystal you were drawing yesterday." Chereesa offered.

Without a word Xani picked up the crystal from the small table and handed it to Talgrun. She almost felt said giving it back to Talgrun.

* * *

Despair filled Talgrun. _Krizslak had been right! That power source might save the settlement, but it will destroy the clan as it is. _He took the crystal from Xani and tried to look into it. However his eyes wouldn't, of course, see anything. Still, comfort spread through him. He ran his fingers across the crystal's surface. On more than one occasion that crystal's effect on him had been the only reason that he had found the resolve to continue on. He had had the crystal for so long that he couldn't imagine where he'd be without it.

_Of course there could be a way to reverse it_. It seemed to Talgrun that the Grom's power source was something that reawakened the bloodlust in the orcs. _It would explain what I have been feeling. But if it is so, than it is bit of a coincidence that we would find such a power source here on this world. So it was probably put there by someone who knew of the orc's heritage. So it could be a demon, as Krizslak thought it might be. Maybe the demon that started bloodlust in the first place. But that doesn't bring me any closer to a solution._

He concluded that he needed to somehow get this information to the other orcs, to the Warchief. Maybe he would be able to find a way. But than he still needed to somehow get out of here. At least it was a reason to live. Of course none of that matters if he was going to die, so escape was out of the question right now, and it might end badly for him if these new orcs attacked this convoy. _Where is this convoy headed anyway?_

He decided this was something he could ask. He quickly found the words he needed and said, "Where we going?" he asked slowly as best he could

"We are where we are going, we are there." Xani answered.

"Where?" He asked again.

"Your settlement."

_Damn! How long has it been, two days or something, since I crawled out of that river? Grom will want to attack these elves as soon as possible if he has full control over his renewed clan._

"What is wrong?" Chereesa asked.

_Uh, how do I explain this? What was 'attack' in their language? _He had heard it before, when that third elf had been around for a few moments, Kaylin or something was her name. "Uhm, red orcs bad, red orcs. . ." He made some swinging motions with his arms, he hoped it looked like he was swinging an axe. He felt really stupid doing this. "Red orcs, uhm, pain elves."

"Red orcs, attack?" Xani asked, using the word he had been looking for.

"Yes! Uh, quickly, fast, uhm, soon. Yes, soon."

"So, the red orcs attack soon? You think."

"Yes. Soon."

A long pause and a short conversation, of which Talgrun only understood a few words, between Xani and Chereesa followed. When the two of them were done Chereesa asked, "How soon?"

Talgrun shrugged and only said, "Soon."

* * *

"He sounds pretty certain about this." Chereesa said after they had stepped out of the cart to make sure Talgrun wasn't overhearing.

"He sounds pretty worried to."

"Do you think he knows exactly what is going on with those orcs?"

Xani pondered that for a moment. "Nah, I doubt that, but he knows a lot. Maybe in time he can tell us."

"Tell Kaylin?"

"Yes, tell her what we found out."

"Will do." Chereesa turned on her heels and began searching for Kaylin.

Xani looked back in the cart and watched Talgrun caressing the crystal as if it were very precious to him. Every time he held against his face, it glowed even brighter than it did when he was just holding it. _That crystal is somehow bound to him. I wonder where it comes from._ She felt a droplet of rain on her arm. Another followed on her other arm. The rain quickly became more intense. She climbed back on the cart and continued watching Talgrun _stare_ at the crystal.

* * *

That's chap 5. Chap 6 shouldn't be long as I am already working on it. 


	8. Chapter 6: The Warsong is Supreme

And here is chapter 6, prepare for some battle! I appreciate the reviews from some of you, so keep 'em coming. About the red orcs, for those of you who don't know. They had always been green, even before coming the human world. The only got red on more direct contact with Mannoroth's blood. I am basing most of this on WC3 but I fill in spots myself when necessary, which I have to do quite a lot with these Warsongs.

Let's begin!

**Chapter 6: The Warsong is Supreme**

The next morning just in front of the fortress in the Warsong settlement. The air was moist and everything was still a little bit wet from the night's rain.

"So you must be one of the new guards, huh. Warlord Gralger Firetusk, that's me if you didn't know that yet." The young Warlord said while extending a gloved hand to Nielak. "Haven't seen you around before, so you must be one of the new guards."

Nielak hesitantly shook the Warlord's hand. He quickly drew his hand back and made a slight bow. "Nielak. Reporting for duty as ordered."

"Good Good." Nielak had seen the Warlord talk to people before, but never had he seen him so talkative, neither did he have the reputation to be so. "You don't seem to be looking forward to the coming battle." The warlord turned and looked at a small group of guards whom were almost coming to blows because they wanted, needed, to fight. "A rather stark contrast compared to them." Firetusk seemed to find not a single bit of hindrance from his full plate mail armour when he moved. The thick black with red lining armour must weigh a lot, but Firetusk moved as if he were wearing a simple cloth pants and tunic. He made an overly large amount of gestures while he talked, even with the thick metal gloves on.

"Well, my first concern is to protect the chieftain."

"Haha! You must ask yourself, can you keep up with him? He can cut through enemy forces like a whirlwind. Sometimes I wonder why he needs us to do any fighting." Nielak in turn wondered if this was the Warlord's way of dealing with the bloodlust, by diverting his attention away from it as much as possible.

"Boasting about me again, Gralger?" Grom asked from behind them.

Firetusk instantly turned and slammed his fist against his chest, saluting. "Absolutely!" He answered the question. "May I have a word with you, chieftain? Before we attack the elves."

"What is it, Warlord?" The Warlord looked suspiciously at Nielak for a moment, as if he didn't want anybody to overhear. "It is okay, Gralger, you can trust him. He already knows almost everything."

"Okay, If you say so." He looked at Grom again and started. "What will we do about the Warchief, Thrall? He will not be happy with what we are doing here."

"We will make him see reason. When we are finished here, I will attempt to talk to him. I will convince him that this is what we are meant to be." The chieftain calmly explained.

"We are meant to bow to demons?" Firetusk asked equally calm. His eyes however belied that he didn't agree with what Grom was doing to the clan.

Grom saw it as well and it hit sensitive spot, for he aggressively grabbed the Warlord by the thick shoulder plating and pulled him close. "You do not agree that the ideal of any orc is strength and you do not agree that this increases our strength!"

Firetusk was clearly struggling to stay calm, but he managed. "I agree on both accounts, but I do not agree that this is the right way of fulfilling that ideal." He said just as calmly as before.

"Are you being disloyal?" Grom asked with increasing anger in his voice.

"Of course not, but I remember I time when you asked me for my opinion on this sort of matters. So now I am giving it to you without you having to ask."

"Then maybe you shouldn't do that anymore." The chieftain turned away and walked to a small platform from where he could see all the honour guard.

While Grom began a speech about the strength and honour of the clan and a short retelling of why they are going to attack the night-elves, Warlord Firetusk angrily bashed his hand into one of the support beams of a watchtower besides which he had been standing. A few large splinters flew away from the beam, but otherwise nothing happened. The Warlord looked at Nielak, who was looking at the Warlord. "Grom seems to trust you, maybe I can trust you as well." He sighed heavily. "As you might have noticed, Grom and I are not exactly thinking alike about this. I ask you, NOT to tell anybody else about what you heard and saw. If you do it might cause the warriors to question their leadership, and if they find out while they are still getting used to the new situation. . . Well. . . Let's just say I fear things will probably spiral out of control."

Nielak just nodded and watched the Warlord walk away without a word to do what ever it was the Warlord needed to do. After that he watched how Grom had already managed to incite cheering amongst the other guards. Including Nielak, there were thirty of them. All of them far better fighters than him, as far as he knew. Their eyes glowed bright, eager to slaughter every last one of the elves.

After Grom had finished with the guards, he moved on to the regular army. The guards trailed him and spread out behind Grom while he stood on a small hill over looking the thousands of grunts and lower officers that would assault the night-elven base. Nielak didn't listen to Grom's second speech as well, as his fellow guards were doing. Instead he was searching the enormous mass of gathered warriors for Jirina. She was a warrior and she to was part of the attack force. He would have to make sure that at least one of them survived, or else his children would have to continue without any parents, something he could not allow. He could not find her, but he was certain she had seen him, unless she was listening to Grom's rallying speech.

Because he was searching for Jirina, he almost didn't notice that all the guards were following Grom down the hill. He quickly caught up and matched their pace. He saw Firetusk was organizing the army somewhat with the help of other officers. Columns began forming, each lead by an officer. As a whole, the army split into two equal forces. The two forces went their own ways and moved away from one another.

In the mean time Grom and Firetusk met. "The army has been divided as we had planned, every thing is going according to plan. Each force will move across one of the river shallows and attack the enemy beyond the river. Both forces will attempt to cut through the base to take down Cenarius as fast as possible. After that we will try to drive the elves north or west through Ashenvale." Firetusk quickly summarized the strategy. Nielak doubted whether all of the orcs in the army would remember that strategy and not just attack any elf they see in their bloodlust

"Good, good." The earlier argument between the two of them seemed to have been forgotten, but Nielak was sure neither of them had forgotten. "Then we continue as planned. Warlord, you direct the forces across the southern river crossing, then I will do the same with the north."

The warlord saluted and mounted one of last remaining giant wolves. Orcs rode those wolves, much like humans rode horses, or elves rode the giant sabres. Over the course of the weeks a lot of them had been killed, so only a few of the officers rode them. Firetusk unlatched his warhammer from the wolf's saddle and took his black/red shield in his left hand. "For the Horde!" He called while riding of with half the honour guards in tow.

Grom lead them towards the northern crossing, where his part army was already standing ready for the order to move across the river. Grom took his place at the head of the army. The honour guard spread behind Grom. Nielak ended up being almost the last one on the left of the guards. He looked behind him and saw that the army was not quite as organized as it had seemed from a distance. Some orcs were elbowing each other away so they could move forward. Others stared longingly towards the other side of the river, which wasn't very away. Already a line of night-elves was forming there to repel the orcs.

Grom raised his large axe in the air. When it came down, the army would move forward. A few orcs began stomping the ground, as if they were fantasising about already storming the elven lines not far away. He wondered how he had resisted this bloodlust where almost all of those he saw behind him had seemingly given in to it. The guards seemed to be holding themselves better, most were just waiting until the order came to attack. Some were, just like him, looking around with a distasteful look on their face at the army.

The line of elves in the distance began to move, toward them. He doubted the sanity of the elven command, it was folly to engage an orcish force this vast with what they had left in open combat, even if they didn't have the added bloodlust. _Unless, they have gotten reinforcements. This might after all end up being a tough fight. _

Grom's axe came down when the first night-elf entered the water on the far side of the river. The army moved forward. Slowly at first, then faster and faster until it was a full charge. Both forces charged one another at top speed. The mounted elves were the fastest, but they were also not so numerous anymore then they used to be at the start of the conflict, even with the reinforcements.

Worry that he would be crushed between the two charging forces crept in his mind. He quickly glanced back and saw that there was actually quite a bit of distance between him and the one behind him. He couldn't glance to long, he was already almost at the first line of advancing elves. The line of mounted elves stayed close together, but beyond that line he saw flashes of archers lining up a volley of arrows. The archers let loose that volley of arrows. The arrows reached the front of the charging orc line just before the two charging lines met. Only a few orcs fell to the arrows. Some continued charging with arrows sticking out of their shoulders or limbs. Shouts of challenge were uttered from both sides, now that they were within earshot of each other. Grom Hellscream let loose with a scream that befitted his name. Nielak to could not resist shouting a challenge at the mounted elf he had chosen as his first target.

The two lines met and as Warlord Firetusk had said, Grom cut through them at an incredible pace. The elf Nielak had chosen as a target had apparently chosen him as a target as well. The elf threw a rather feeble looking wooden spear at him, probably meant only as a distraction. He didn't pay it any heed and it just bounced of his shoulder plating. The elf switched to the glaive that the mounted elves usually used and tried to slash at his head. He ducked underneath the glaive and swung his large axe horizontally, not at the elf, but at the sabre. The axe went through the sabre and left it's head in two pieces, still attached to the body. The elf was shot forward of the sabre and rolled over the ground, in the direction of the other charging orcs. Those orcs quickly made short work of the elf and then charged past the hacked to pieces elf.

Nielak had been watching how the elf got slaughtered to make sure he was dead. That had almost been his death. When he turned, he was lucky his reflex was fast enough to bring the axe in front of his face. Another elf, a female this time, had almost lopped of his head with her glaive. The force of the impact forced Nielak to take a step back, but it also forced the glaive from the elf's hand. The sabre also had a go at him, but the heavy plate armour did it's job against the long nails of the sabre. The elf raced passed him and turned to attack him again. He turned around to meet her new attack and saw she directed her sabre to jump on him. With the maw opened wide, the sabre came down on top of him, the elf shouting some kind of encouragement to the sabre. He managed to grab the sabres head and keep those long teeth away from his face.

Like that they struggled a few seconds. Nielak trying to keep the opened maw away from himself. The sabre trying to cut him with the claws, which didn't have the capacity to go through solid metal. The other orcs rushing past them ignored them, to focused on all the other elves ahead of them to help a fellow orc. _Damn them! _He managed a firm grip on the sabres head and twisted it around with all the strength and anger he could manage while being pounded by the not so effective claws. Sounds of bone cracking and tissue ripping came from the neck and the sabre's body went limp. He let go of the now upside-down head and crawled from underneath the sabre, picking his axe back up at the same time.

The elf quickly recovered and jumped of the dead, still twitching, carcass. Nielak looked towards where Grom had disappeared for a moment. In flashes in between running figures he could see the chieftain was far ahead, still cutting through the elves at the same pace. He was getting behind! He was even behind those that had been running behind him to begin with! Somehow that thought enraged him in a way he had not expected. The same fire that he had pushed away just after he had drunk from Mannoroth's well was now remerging. Rage unlike any he had experienced before flooded his senses. His vision narrowed down on the elf that was standing there unarmed, dodging orcs running past her. She was looking around, probably for any weapon she could use. He charged and brought his axe down on her left shoulder. The axe went further down the flesh than it had anytime before when Nielak had done this.

The elf fell, screaming at the top of her lungs. Well, one lung, her left lung had been cut in half. Blood seeped from the deep gash in her chest. The scream, even though he barely heard it through all the other noises on the field, brought him back to his senses. Shaking the bloodlust away, he quickly pulled the axe from her chest and finished her of with a slash at her head to quiet her.

Looking around he saw he was really getting behind. Almost the instant the orcs and elves met, the orcs pushed the elves back into the river. Already they had been pushed almost to the other side. None from the original line of mounted elves remained. Nielak began running towards Grom, to take back up his position as honour guard. He reached the far side of the river and climbed the riverbank. From the top of that he saw just how far the orcs had already flooded into the night-elven camp. In the distance he could see that elves were now rallying all the soldiers they had to blunt the orcish attack. The amount of mounted elves had diminished severely and elves without mounts and just swords or glaives had taken up front positions to equal out that loss. Beyond the elves he could see a large figure appearing from the forest. He could not see the figure, but he only remembered two beings that could tower above anything like that. Cenarius or Mannoroth, but Mannoroth wasn't involved directly involved in this fight so it was probably Cenarius. The amount of ents appearing from the forest backed that up.

He continued on towards Grom. When he topped a hill he saw three elves on a hill on the other side of the battle, looking his way in the same way he was looking at them, surprised. They were just standing there, looking at the battle and maybe him.

* * *

"Xani, Chereesa!" Kaylin climbed onto the cart they were still using to keep Talgrun. Sounds from outside betrayed something was going. They had been hearing shouting and horns for a few minutes. The horns signified that a attack was imminent, but the two of them hadn't received any orders of what to do when such an event should occur. So the two of them had stayed put. 

"What's going on?" Chereesa inquired.

"it's the orcs. . ." Talgrun sat up at the mention of orcs. ". . . they're preparing for an attack. Scouts report that all of their warriors gathered in one place, to split up afterwards. Now two groups are forming just outside their settlement, one for the northern crossing the other for the southern crossing. You'll be coming with me, we need every able-bodied soldier or priest."

To Xani the most unnerving aspect of it all was that Kaylin seemed genuinely concerned about this. If Kaylin was certain they could withstand the attack, she wouldn't be concerned for anything. On orders of Kaylin they attached another rope to Talgrun's other hand. After that the two of them followed Kaylin out of the cart and across the field. Where they were being taken they didn't know yet.

Xani wished she had gone out of the cart more often, at least then she would have had more time process the fact that there thousands of people here, all running in a semi-frantic way, but seemingly with a purpose. There was one thing that made it easier on her, none of them were looking at her. That, she was certain of.

To her left chaos seemed to erupt. Sounds of battle sounded, steel on steel and screams of the dying. Kaylin momentarily halted on a hill to look at the hunters in the distance getting slaughtered. "By Elune, it has already begun." Chereesa managed.

Xani was incapable of uttering any words. This went against everything she was taught is good as a priestess. Never before had she seen death by means of weapons, only because of other injuries, except Talgrun than. Of course as a priestess she had seen death before, but not on this scale. Nor had anybody seen death on this scale for hundreds of years. The hunters were slaughtered nearly the moment they engaged the orcs. The group of archers behind them fell even faster, since had far less training with their feeble swords. Indeed many of the archers fled before the obviously stronger orcs. But those that fled were cut down before they could get away.

"Come on." Kaylin called to them. They followed her, but in the distance Xani saw a orc standing still on top of a hill. Quite unusual, since all the orcs seemed to try to get to the elves as fast as possible. She didn't pay the orc anymore attention and concentrated on following Kaylin. Kaylin had chosen a new path, going away from the battle.

"Hey, where are we going? I thought we were going get killed in that battle over there." Chereesa said, rather pessimistically for her.

"Change of plan. Come on, follow." Kaylin lead them towards a small group standing safely away from battle. Out of range, even for the catapults the orcs had begun using only seconds ago to fling the first boulders at the night-elves. The impacts sent up big clouds of dust behind the three of them. "Julios, what are you doing here? I ordered you to oversee our soldiers." Kaylin said to her sub-commander, who was there also.

"I am here to bring a report about the situation to the leaders." Julios answered, obviously not telling the whole truth. He looked scared, even more so than Xani and Chereesa.

Xani and Chereesa questioningly looked at each other for a moment, thinking the same thing. _Can't he use a runner to bring a report about the situation to the real commanders?_

Kaylin seemed to be thinking the same thing, but didn't say anything. She turned towards the present commanders, and the one general who was in charge of this battle. "I advice we retreat." She said to the general.

The general merely looked at her for a moment as if she had gone insane, then said, "Have you gone mad commander? My scouts tell me these orcs are completely unorganised and we have them outnumbered. Just look at those catapults impacts, they are no where near anything of strategic importance."

"Am I the only one here who has been anywhere near the battle? Didn't you also get reports that by now the hunters and archers whom were sent in to slow the orcs are all dead. I saw them get completely overrun without slowing the orcs down at all. By now the orcs are probably just beyond that hill, battling the last of our initial defence. And I bet that it isn't any better in the south."

"Calm down commander. Even if they are there already, we still have them outnumbered." The general indicated the massed forces around them, which were beginning to look like an organised force. Now the thousands Xani had seen running around before were now standing still in neat rows and columns. The general pointed at another commander, whom took a bullhorn in his mouth and blew it. Instantly the force moved to the northern river crossing. The same was done for the south river crossing. "See we will be alright. And when we have turned this attack turned around, we will be able to overrun their defences for a change." However, the general wasn't looking so assured anymore.

"_If_ we can turn this attack around." Kaylin added.

"Hmpf, what are they doing here?" The general said pointing at Xani and Chereesa, obviously trying to change the subject.

Xani suddenly felt many powerful pairs of eyes looking at her. "They can tell you the same thing I just said. And these are the ones who have been interrogating our prisoner, so they might be able to explain some more." Kaylin turned to them and asked, "What did the orc tell you again, which you told me just after midnight?"

Xani and Chereesa looked at each other nervously, especially Xani. A few moments passed, but in the end Chereesa looked back at the commanders first and began explaining. "Well, uhm, the orc had already told us that he had expected an attack soon."

"Well, that helps. . ." The general said.

"Let her speak!" Kaylin said as if she was the general and he the commander.

"Uhm, some time after we found that out, we also found out what it might be that makes these orcs red. According to Talgrun. . ." She momentarily halted after saying Talgrun's name. Maybe that had sounded like they were familiar with each other. "Uhm, well, he said they probably found some sort of power source. Magical."

This made the other commanders look at each other in a concerned way. But the general just said, "Talgrun? And why would this _Talgrun_ be so forthcoming with this information?"

"He seemed pretty concerned himself. And he isn't red, he is still green." Kaylin cut in. "And I think I would prefer the green orcs over these red ones any day." A few of the commanders nodded their agreement with that last statement.

A heavy voice suddenly resounded from just behind Xani and Chereesa. "I would agree with that statement." The two of them turned around and looked up at Cenarius. Cenarius beamed a kind smile to them and then looked at the commanders. "But I also sense a demonic taint about these chaotic orcs, which I didn't feel with the normal orcs. This must be a new demon trick. Therefore it is both mine and your duty to do anything you can to stop them."

"Agreed, but we cant do anything here unless you can somehow drop some reinforcements here." Almost everybody looked at her as if she was mad to speak to Cenarius in such a way.

Cenarius looked around for a moment at what they had left of forces that hadn't engaged in the battle yet and at the immense amount of wounded being carried away from the battle. Elves with torn open armour lay in long lines. Some of them were crying for help that might not come in time, for there were to few healers to deal with them all. Fellow soldiers, often the ones that brought the wounded there, tried to bandage the most serious wounds with whatever they could find. Many a limb had been severed, a lot of others had been mutilated by some sort of magic, boiling of their skin or just outright burning them all over. Sights that would forever linger in the corner of Xani's mind.

"You are right, we can't stop them here." Cenarius said, unsettling many of the commanders. Julios just looked outright scared. If even Cenarius thought they couldn't stop the orcs. . . "However we can't just leave with this many wounded. We must make sure they don't get any closer than they are already, so we can prepare the convoys to move out again." There had been multiple convoys with reinforcements. Theirs had been the smallest. Two much larger convoys had come from the west.

"Than what way do we go? Do we go north towards Hyjal or. . ." One of the commanders asked, but was cut of by Cenarius.

"Well, while you argue about that, I'll just be doing what is supposed to be done." Cenarius turned around proceeded towards the battle.

"Well don't just stand there! Everybody, get to commanding the army. Only you two stay here." The general said, pointing at two commanders. "We will figure out which to retreat."

"Come on." Kaylin said as she to turned around and walked away from the general. Xani and Chereesa immediately turned on their heels and followed. "Xani, do what you can for the wounded, they need you. And Chereesa, well, help her with bandages when needed. I'll be setting up an effective defence line." She walked on towards the sounds of battle with Julios in tow, leaving Xani and Chereesa.

Xani looked at a new batch of wounded being carried away from the battlefield. Some held their hands their stomachs to keep in whatever they still had in there. Other less serious injuries were the pierced legs, arms or shoulders. The new batch of wounded was carried along a different path, because all the previous groups had spilled so much blood on the ground that the grass had become slippery and the sand muddy. The ground already been a bit wet from the rain, but now it was completely soaked. They both had to resist multiple urges to throw up.

"Well, lets do as she told us to do." Xani finally said.

* * *

In the mean time Nielak had managed to catch up to the rampaging Grom. He had had no more kills, mostly he had just been zigzagging through the throng. By the time he was near Grom, it had occurred to him that they weren't advancing anymore. They were being held of just beneath a ridge of hills stretching across the clearing, blocking their passage to the elven base. Cenarius had appeared on the front, rallying the night-elves to make a stand. Nielak knew that in the end even Cenarius wouldn't be enough to stop the orcish onslaught. 

The battle stagnated. While the battle dragged on, Nielak noticed that his fellow warriors were only becoming more enraged. Tiredness didn't seem to exist for them, they just kept on going. And going. And going. Which was very different for the elves, whom getting were slowly getting tired. Hours passed until it was already past midday when the two most powerful forces on the field engaged one another. Grom and a small group of his guards had managed to get close to Cenarius.

Nielak sped towards them to do his duty towards the Chieftain, however foolish it may be to attack Cenarius. They tried to circle Cenarius, to attack him from a blind spot. It wouldn't be so easy. As if he had eyes in his back, Cenarius kicked backwards with his hind legs and hit the warrior whom had tried to attack him from behind square in the chest.

Now Nielak stood among those that had engaged Cenarius. It was like a tranquil island in the middle of a wild ocean. For seconds none of them did anything, and everybody around went on killing orcs or elves, depending who they were. Not even the elves tried to intervene to help their demigod. Around them the battle raged on in its full intensity.

Finally it was a warlock who began. Trying to sap Cenarius' strength with a spell. The moment the spell struck Cenarius, he reversed the spell, sucking the warlock dry of all his energy. The warlock collapsed in a heap of dried flesh. "I have faced your demon tricks before, little demon worshippers." Cenarius said in fluent orcish to Grom. Surprised by that, Nielak looked around. Nobody besides them had heard, every other orc just continued on without having heard anything. Maybe some kind of spell from Cenarius allowed them to hear each other.

One of the warriors lost his patience and assaulted Cenarius. Almost all of them followed. Spells, hoofs and claws were Cenarius' answer. Spells made sure nobody hit by them survived. Armour was caved in by hoofs slamming into them, crushing chests or snapping limbs backwards. Claws struck through thick armoured plating as if it were paper, unlike the feeble sabre claws. Nielak was backhanded against his jaw, sending him to the ground head first.

He could see Grom taking a hit from Cenarius' clawed hands. However he wasn't the chieftain just because he was a good leader. He managed to whirl out of the way and only received a series of shallow cuts across his left shoulder. Grom was still turning around when the next blow from a fist send Grom to the ground. Cenarius loomed above him to finish him of, rasing his right hand to strike the prone figure. Without hesitation Nielak shot forward from his own prone position. Just in time he was able to hit Cenarius' hand with an upward swing from his axe. The arm still came down, but no clawed hand came down to strike Grom. That clawed hand bounced of the ground a moment later.

Cenarius roared his frustration and pain and the roar made The ground seem to. Everything came to a momentary halt, all personal battles stopped, everybody stopped screaming at one another and just looked at Cenarius holding his bleeding arm. Grom found his chance was now and jumped up, slashing with his axe. When Grom landed again on his feet, Cenarius stood still, not moving at all. Blood began pouring from Cenarius' throat. His entire throat had been opened up, almost to the bone.

Nielak watched Cenarius fall down, clutching his throat with his one remaining arm. With such a deep wound, a fatal amount of blood was pumped out of his body in seconds. Not even Cenarius' might could prevent it. Death came quickly.

"THE DEMIGOD HAS FALLEN! THE WARSONG IS SUPREME!" Grom shouted in his characteristic way, raising his arms in triumph.

The next voices that roared were the night-elves. Now they were the ones enraged over their demigod's death. A volley of arrows was shot directly at what remained of the group that had engaged Cenarius. Grom managed to pick up the body of a nearby dead elf and use the it as a shield. Nielak had no such opportunity. He could only make himself as small as possible and protect his head. He felt arrows pounding on his armour. More volleys came and came. _They are really angry now!_ Nielak thought unnecessarily. _Can't really blame them though._

During the last volley, Nielak felt a intense piercing pain in his right shoulder. He looked at it and saw a arrow sticking out between two plates of metal. The arrow had almost disappeared in his flesh, only half of the arrow was still visible. Despite the pain he tried to move his right arm, but it wouldn't move. The arm had been nailed in place by the arrow. He had been wounded before, but never by an arrow, and he had never had really significant injuries.

He looked around and only saw dead bodies with arrows sticking out of them and Grom holding one of those bodies. Grom dropped the body and ran over to him. "That looks serious!" He shouted above the sounds of battle that had begun again.

"No, really!" He shouted back.

Night-elves with intense anger in their eyes were now coming for them. The two of them ran away from the elves. None of the elves had mounts anymore. Now it was just foot soldiers against foot soldiers. It also gave the two of them the opportunity to get away from the nearing elves and disappear in the chaotic battlefield, if those elves had been mounted they could have outrun them easily.

Grom took him away from the front and shouted to him, "I hereby temporarily relief you from your duty to protect the Warlord and the Chieftain. I have got an assault to finish." And Grom went away again before Nielak could protest. Grom looked like he was in no condition to lead an army. Scratched on his shoulder. Bruises all over his face and body. Blood splattered on his light armour.

Nielak inspected his wound. Blood seeped from between plates of armour, but he could not possibly tell how much internal damage there was. He could only imagine that he at least ripped a lot of things in there. Veins, muscles. . . And with taking on the bloodlust, the shamans had gone. Maybe he could find a witchdoctor who might be able to heal this. He couldn't see any, most of the trolls had made a run for it, not wanting to be involved with the Warsong clan anymore.

Cenarius' death had been what the orcs had needed to break the night-elven defence. The front moved away from Nielak. Almost all orcs disappeared behind the ridge of hills. Only some stayed behind to put any elf they found out of his/her misery. The field was filled with death. The smell of it all disgusted him. Severed limbs lay scattered around. A small stream of blood had formed towards the river, dumping blood into the river.

Holding his shoulder, Nielak made his way to the top of a the hill, to look at how the orcs were advancing. The elves had been routed, only sporadically they managed to halt the orcs. From this hill he could see why the elves were still trying to hold them of and not just fleeing. A long convoy of carts pulled by their last sabres was being loaded. He could not see how many there actually were, it was to far away for that, but there were a lot.

He was so transfixed by the horrors before him that he almost didn't feel the heated air in his neck. Slowly he turned around to look upward at the ugly visage of Mannoroth. "Still alive? Nielak, was it?" The large demon was failing horribly at trying to sound concerned when he said, "That is an awful wound you have there." The demon seemed to be taking in as much of the carnage that had taken place around them as possible. "Let me help me help you with that wound." Mannoroth's hand shot forward and ripped the arrow from Nielak's shoulder. Then Mannoroth put his hand on Nielak's shoulder before he could pull the shoulder away. Mannoroth's large hand fully enclosed his shoulder. A green glow emanated from beneath the hand and at the same time Nielak's skin at the shoulder felt like a thousand little creatures were crawling underneath it. Pain shot through him more intense than that of the arrow. Mannoroth was visibly enjoying seeing Nielak in pain, but released his hand when he was done.

The shoulder felt like new. Nielak tested his right arm, but he could not find anything the demon might have done to it. "Why?" Nielak asked with contempt for the demon.

"Why I renewed that shoulder for you? Well, you are partly responsible for Cenarius' death. That so called _demigod _has been a thorn in my side since I first met him. Not a thorn in just my side either. My master's side as well. Now plans can begin to unfold."

_That demon has a master? I really don't want to meet him_. Nielak looked around and saw that all of the orcs who had stayed behind to kill wounded elves were now staring up at the tall demon.

"Get back to work!" Mannoroth ordered. Much to Nielak's surprise they did exactly that. "See? You are all my puppets." He turned around again and walked away.

_I am not you PUPPET! _Nielak shouted inwardly. He looked towards the waning battle while trying to push the awful feeling of when the demon had touched him away. He managed to push it away and walked back down towards Grom. _He will be pretty surprised to see me healed again._ Nielak thought to him self. In the distance he saw an elf clad in grey plating trying to organise a defence. He admired her stubbornness to give up, but he doubted she would make it out of this battle alive.

* * *

That very elf clad in grey armour, Kaylin, was shouting frantic orders at her subordinates. "You there, close that gap! Archers! Prepare another volley! Fire when ready!" She turned to her sub-commander, but didn't say what she wanted to say. In the distance to the south she saw a new army of orcs come for them. "By Elune, they broke through at the southern crossing!" Now she did shout at Julios. "Julios, How long until the convoy is ready to move out!" 

Julios just stood there as if he were frozen in place.

"Julios!"

Julios reacted, finally. "How should I know!"

"Go find out then, you haven't done anything up until now, you coward." Julios straightened up at the insult, trying to look less like he was cowering from the battle. He then ran of to do as she had ordered. "How did he ever get to be sub. . ." She couldn't finish whispering to herself, she saw another gap forming in the defence. "Archers, aim there!" She pointed at the forming breach with her jagged sword. The orcs forming the gap were taken down quickly by the small volley of arrows. "Now! You! Close that gap!"

In the mean time, Julios made his way to the caravan. He saw a lot of wounded, but he tried to not look at them. There he saw someone he could use to get the information needed. "Xani!" Xani just finished up on a healing spell and turned around. She looked tired from constantly having to cast spells. The real colour of her armour couldn't be seen anymore underneath all the dark blood that had sprayed on it. It was even on her face, covering half of it. "How long until these wounded are all on the carts?" He asked quickly.

"Not long, these are the last. All the other things have already been loaded." She said tiredly. "How long until they break through?"

"Not long either." He turned around again to report back to Kaylin. Again he tried not to look at all the wounded. Control over his senses was waning, soon he would go mad, he knew it! He slipped on a soaked part of the grass. Looking at the grass he saw it was completely covered in blood. It didn't take long at all for him to look away again from the blood. Not long after that he gave the information to Kaylin, who looked pleased.

"We can hold them of a bit more, until they arrive." She pointed at the approaching forces. "I need to know something else, you can go find out."

"What ever you need." He said sarcastically.

"I need to know the status of the rest of the leadership around here. Try to find the general and ask him."

And he was of again. He passed a number of commanders, although most of them had died already at some stage in the defence. After asking one of the commanders for the general's whereabouts he only got a, "Don't know. How much longer do we need to hold here?"

"Not long." The commander nodded to him and went back to commanding the soldiers in the same expertly way Kaylin was doing. He moved on again, but the general was nowhere to be found. Upon return to Kaylin he felt certain he was going to be shouted at for not even being able to do such a simple thing as finding the one highest in rank.

"What do you mean you couldn't find him?" Kaylin asked quickly when he told her.

"Just that, I went up and down this defence line and he was nowhere to be seen."

"Then he is probably dead and we will have to act accordingly." She quickly gave a few orders to close a breach here and there before continuing. "Did you see any other commanders?"

"Yes, a few."

"Alright, go back to the convoy and tell them to hurry up on loading the wounded. After they have loaded all the wounded they should leave immediately, don't have them wait for us. Return to me when they have loaded the wounded, then we will follow them. GO!"

Again he did as he was told. Kaylin waited for him to return as quickly as possible. Orders kept on rolling from her mouth. But there were less and less soldiers to actually carry those orders out. She began doubting whether this had been worth it, defending the convoy. How many had died protecting it? Probably a lot more than they would have lost if they had just cut their losses in the beginning and left immediately. "Don't think of that, concentrate on what has to be done." She told herself.

Just when she was expecting Julios to have made a run for it, he returned. "They're moving out."

"Good, spread the word among the other commanders that we are going to make slow retreat towards the convoy when I blow this horn." She patted a large bullhorn hanging from her belt. "let's hope they leave us alone after a while."

"I am not a runner!"

"You're the closest thing I have got! Or do you want to be there!" She asked, pointing at the fighting mass I front of them. "Now go!"

Without further protest he left. Upon his return only a short while later she blew the bullhorn. At the same time, approximately the same orders came from all the commanders left, spurring the troops to make a slow retreat. Slowly the line moved backwards, towards the west. Before the general had gone missing he had determined it was best to head west, where high priestess Tyrande Whisperwind was gathering an even larger army than had been gathered here. Tyrande was one of the most powerful figures in night-elven society, as well as the head of the night-elven priestly order. However, it would take quite some time to get there.

* * *

_What is going on? Where are we going now? _Talgrun asked himself. Once again the cart had started moving underneath him. From the sounds outside he could only imagine that the battle he had predicted had started. Hours had passed and finally the cart had started moving again. Only for a moment Xani and Chereesa had both checked up on him separately to see if he had somehow untied himself. He hadn't of course. And even if he had, he wouldn't dare leave. Some elf would skewer him on a sword within seconds without wondering where he had come from first. 

Screams of the dying and wounded kept on piercing the air, but it was becoming less. Slightly, very slightly. The sounds of battle grew distant until he could only hear the distant impacts of catapults firing sporadically. _This battle is nearing it's end_. He already known that from the moment he heard Grom's voice shouting above all other sounds, "The demigod has fallen! The Warsong is supreme." '_Hellscream' is an apt name for him_. He thought.

* * *

"Warriors, halt! We will let them go!" Grom shouted after they had driven them to the west for an hour more after the elven commanders had signalled their retreat. "They can warn of the rest of their pathetic race!" Most obeyed the command, some didn't. To lost in bloodlust that they didn't hear anything except what mattered to them, which was the dying scream of their adversaries. While most halted, those lost in bloodlust chased after the elves. They were quickly taken by arrows. 

Orders to scour the field for wounded were given and Grom watched satisfied with what they had done. Around him stood his highest officers, including Warlord Firetusk, and what remained of his guards. Nielak was there as well and not after a short time was again subject to feeling the horror he felt when Mannoroth had so _kindly_ healed his wound. "Hello again Grommash." Mannoroth said. "Why did you let those elves go? The rest of their race would have gotten the message anyway."

Grom turned and fiercely responded. "I am not interested in annihilating everything that lives! They were beat and retreating with their wounded, while we have our own wounded to take care of."

"PAH! Let me assure you that they will not get far, I will make sure of that. With Cenarius out of the way, my masters will start their new plans for this world." Again everybody stared at the demon, most hadn't seen him before. "Get back to work damn you!" Again they did exactly that as if they were puppets and he the puppeteer, as he had said. Mannoroth saw Grom looking at him questioningly. "Plans you need not worry yourself with, yet."

* * *

A/N

Blademaster: On the note of Talgrun and the elves. I'd rather not say anything, but know that after Cenarius' death, things will be pretty tense between those two partys. Talgrun being orc and all, and the orcs having killed Cenarius. Get my drift?


	9. Chapter 7: A Trail West

**Chapter 7: A Trail West**

_Death and conflict are ways to answer almost any problem. But is it always the right one? _Nielak wondered, while looking around the battered, bloodied battlefield. _Is this what we were meant to be? A collection of enraged whirlwinds of destruction? If we go on like this, we will not only corrupt the clan, we will destroy it. _Many dead orcs lay amongst the tens of thousands of dead elves. While the elves had been practically annihilated, the orcs themselves had lost almost half of their warriors.

Still, hours after the battle had ended, screams of the wounded filled the air. Here and there groups of orcs walked among the carnage they had wrought, some not exactly sure what to think of it, others revelling in it. A few lonely orcs sat on large boulders or walked around with a disillusioned look on their face, much like Nielak. He was sitting on a boulder not to far away from Cenarius' body, the large clawed hand by Nielak's feet. The hand he had cut of, mostly because of luck. _What would have happened had I been to late? Grom dead, the orcs would be in disarray, the Warlord was somewhere else. Don't think of that, think of what did happen. _But he didn't want to think of what did happen. He only saw the dead Cenarius, and what a majestic creature he actually was.

"Thought I might find you here." A familiar voice said.

He looked up and saw Jirina standing not to far away. "Jirina!" He jumped up and ran over to her. Taking her in his arms he said, "I was so worried."

"And yet you didn't went looking for me." She said, after putting one arm around him. She pulled slightly back and showed him the bandage around the arm she didn't use.

"How am I supposed to find you, amongst thousands. You would know that I wouldn't be to far away from Grom, so it would be easy to find me." She smiled, to indicate that was indeed the way she had been thinking. "What happened?" He asked putting one hand on the blood-soaked bandage and looking at it. The bandage went all the way from her left shoulder to her wrist on that arm.

"Elven blade." Jirina ran her right index finger along her left arm where the blade had cut. "Lucky for me it was almost at the end of the battle, so I didn't take long to find me a bandage. It was bleeding pretty bad."

"Well, you're here now. That's what matters."

Jirina paused, looking at Cenarius' body. "So what do we do now?"

"We go home. I think Grom can handle himself without me for a while." On the way back to the settlement, Jirina told about how the assault on the southern crossing had gone. Warlord Firetusk had been injured, taking a severe wound to his left knee. He would live, but the knee would remain a weak spot the rest of Firetusk's life. Losses had been lower at the southern crossing, apparently the Warlord had taken great care to keep as many alive as possible.

"Firetusk gave a lot of rather complicated orders to keep as many alive as he could, but even though the orders were not to difficult to carry out. . . Many weren't capable, they just charged in against his orders to kill as many elves as quickly as they could in the simplest way they could think of."

They entered the settlement. The atmosphere there was a stark contrast with that on the battlefield, where most had been elated with their accomplishments. Here, young children were mourning over the loss of a parent, brother or sister. It was almost tangible, the grief in the air. This was more like how it normally was after a large battle. _In time, will this change as well? Will these grieving children be proud that their parent gave the ultimate sacrifice for the clan?_

Many eyes stared at them, or was it him, while they walked through the settlement. There were a few warriors from the battlefield among those staring at them. Parts of sentences reached his ears.

". . . Saved Grom."

"Cenarius."

They seemed to be in awestruck by his presence. A child ran up to them and enthusiastically asked. "Did you save the chieftain!"

_What do I do now? I could say, no. They would leave me alone. Or just the truth. _"Yes, I did." Whispers erupted amongst them. "I did what anybody would have done." He added and the two of them walked on. When they reached their house, their three kids burst through the front entrance. Adonai and his oldest sister, Sarinia, jumped in his still armoured arms and he held them up for a moment. Adonai's youngest sister, Daraka, bumped into her mother legs. Jirina bent down and hugged her little daughter.

"Mommy!" Shouted the little Daraka.

"I had been sitting behind that window for ages!" Adonai said, happy that his parents had both returned. They took the children inside and were practically forced to give a full report of the battle.

* * *

Xani sat on the small bench in the Talgrun's cart, completely exhausted. With one hand she wiped a bit of blood from her face. The convoy had left without being attacked, but the forces that had been holding the orcs away from the convoy hadn't returned yet. The one commander that had taken command over the convoy had ordered they keep going west at the highest speed possible. Only the carts from one convoy had been used to transport wounded. There weren't enough wounded to fill them all up, and they wouldn't have had enough time to fill up more anyway. The orcs didn't leave a lot of wounded. _Damned orcs! Come to our lands and to not only defile it, but to also slaughter anything that stands in their way_! Even now, there were a few carts empty, including the one Xani was in now.

But not for long.

"Xani!" Chereesa climbed on the cart. Before she could properly hold on to anything, the whole convoy stopped. Chereesa rolled forward and bumped into one of the benches. She quickly got up and said. "The defenders have managed to catch up with us, but they have a lot of wounded. We are going to have to move Talgrun somewhere else." Xani barely had enough energy to keep her eyes open. "Xani!" Chereesa shook her a couple of times, and when that didn't work, hit her across the face.

"Get away from me!" She pushed Chereesa away.

Chereesa took a small canteen from the small table in the cart and handed it to Xani. "Drink some, but we need to put Talgrun somewhere else."

"Wounded wounded wounded. Always wounded. Does it ever stop?" She looked at her blood covered hands. "Look at this. All this blood. I am a priest to temple of Elune. I was not meant for this."

Chereesa took the canteen from Xani and then threw the last bit of water still in the canteen over Xani's hands, washing away some of the blood. "There, it is gone. Now lets move Talgrun."

Quite unexpectedly Talgrun asked, "Where?"

"Shut up you damned orc!" Xani shouted. "Alright, let's attach a chain to the back of this cart and put that chain around both his hands."

"Good." They went to work, well, mainly Chereesa went to work. Xani tried to rest as much as possible to be able to deal with the new wounded coming in.

"How long until the defenders will be here?" Xani asked after Chereesa had finished chaining Talgrun to the back of the cart. Talgrun sat down on the ground, as much out of view as possible.

"Not long, they just came in view when I told you, so it shouldn't be long. The convoy halted to let them catch up with us." Indeed it didn't take long at all. Soldiers carrying wounded were quick to deposit the wounded at any of the carts still empty. The latest wounded quickly filled up the remaining carts, until none were empty anymore and all had been filled up completely. Chaos erupted again. Screams of wounded and dying filled air once more. Priests frantically ran amongst the wounded, healing the severest injuries first. But the severest injuries also taxed the priests the most. Soon, they couldn't cope with the wounded anymore and some even collapsed. Potions ran out quickly. By the time night came, the cries had faded away. The convoy had started moving slowly again.

Talgrun had to keep pace. He was still attached to the last cart in the convoy and it wouldn't stop if he tripped and fell over a rock he couldn't see. He did trip a couple of times, and was subsequently dragged along by the cart. Luckily, the path was relatively even, so he didn't trip to often. _This just has to happen to me! Dragged on a chain by a cart that wont stop if I fall. Put in that position by elves that would probably would want nothing else than to skin every orc in existence. Oh yes, I am making progress in life._ He hadn't walked for to long. Quickly his muscles began aching, having done nothing at all for days on end.

He could find one good thing in it, though. However small it might be. _Now I can tell whether it is day or night. If I can feel the heat of the sun, it's day. _After a whole night of aching leg muscles and sporadic tripping over loose rocks, heat of sunlight finally cam. The convoy halted to let the elves rest. Talgrun to fell asleep, on the hard stones that marked the path.

When he woke again, he didn't feel that heat anymore. And he had been awoken by fists. Someone dragged him to his feet and someone else held him from behind. "Damned orc." He heard from several mouths several times. A fist was rammed into his stomach. If he had just eaten, he would have thrown up all over the one that had hit him, but he hadn't eaten in at least a day. Lucky for him he was being held upright, else he would probably have fallen, if that was a good thing at all. More fists made contact in his stomach, even heavy booted feet made contact there. They kept on shouting at him. Fists started moving upward, towards his head. Soon he wouldn't have been able to tell whether he was upright anymore, as he was to dizzy.

Surprisingly, a voiced boomed above those around him. A familiar voice, one he hadn't expected to hear. The punching and shouting stopped. The one holding him let go of him, finally allowing his knees to buckle and letting him fall down. The voice that sounded so stern ordered everybody away and then the elf behind that voice kneeled besides him. He now knew exactly who it was.

"I know you were not responsible for Cenarius, and you might after all give us a little more information we need." Kaylin said, at least that's what he thought she said. After that she punched him in the back of his head, forcing his head into the ground. He expected more, but it didn't come. "They will not attack you again." He could hear her stand up and climb onto the cart. "Xani!"

Xani looked up from her half-consciousness. She hadn't done anything to prevent Talgrun getting beat up. She couldn't even if she wanted to. "You live still?" Xani asked slightly surprised. She hadn't seen Kaylin amongst those that had returned from the defenders.

"Unless you are looking at a walking corpse, yes. Now, I need you to tell me how many soldiers we have at our disposal. How many among the wounded can bare arms again within the next two days?"

"Within two days?" Her mind worked slowly. "Uhm, a thousand? I don't know how many there are in all the other carts. But a thousand would be my guess."

"That makes, three thousand soldiers total. THREE THOUSAND!" Angrily she kicked at one of the benches. Xani snapped back to reality, the numbness forgotten. She had never seen Kaylin so upset, except maybe when Xani had run of the base again before all this started, but this was different. "Three thousand out of TENS OF THOUSANDS!" Kaylin sat down on the same bench she had kicked and fell asleep on the spot, all energy drained from her body.

Everybody rested as much as they could, but many couldn't find peace in their dreams. Mostly Xani lay awake, eyes half open, staring at either Talgrun just outside the cart, or Kaylin in front of her. The only one that seemed to be able to sleep well was Kaylin. She had seen the horrors of war many times before. _Then why the outburst? _She asked herself tiredly. _Was it not because they had died, but because it was huge negative statistic to her. In her eyes this whole campaign must be a huge failure. And we don't even know exactly what happened with those orcs. _Xani noticed Talgrun move. He was awake. "Alright Talgrun, lets talk." She said more to herself than to him.

He had apparently heard it and said. "okay."

She climbed out of the cart and sat down next to him. "Red orcs."

"Red orcs." He confirmed. He did the best he could possibly do, but his vocal cords were not made for the soft elven language, creating a rather awkward accent.

"Red orcs are demons." Cenarius had said that he had sensed a demonic taint about the orcs.

"Demons?" He asked in a way as if he was not recognising the word.

_Oh, how do I explain that? _She remembered a time that now seemed so long ago. Priestly training. A few times they had been taught about demons and the role of the priests in averting the first invasion of the Burning Legion. A few times they had been taught a few words in the demonic language, both spoken and written, to be able to recognise the language should they encounter it someday. She spoke a few of the words, but she had no idea what they meant anymore.

Before she could complete the words, Talgrun reached out and put one hand over her mouth. "Don't." He got the meaning of the word. "Demons."

"Are orcs demons?"

"No." He answered aggressively, clearing feeling a bit offended.

"Alright, are the red orcs demons?"

Talgrun looked a bit uncertain about that. "No. Red orcs not demons." He put both his hands on the ground and moved one above the other. With the lower hand he made a little figure. Two legs and a body. The upper hand he held above his lower hand and he moved the fingers a bit while the lower hand 'walked' a bit. He held the lower hand up and said, "Red orcs." And then put the hand back down as it was. He then held the upper hand up and said, "Demons." And then put that hand back to it's original place as well.

"What?" Xani asked, not rested enough yet to solve riddles. Slightly annoyed, he repeated the process. _Ah! Puppets and puppeteers_. She touched the lower hand with her index finger and said, "Puppet." And then she touched the upper hand with her index finger as well and said, "Puppeteer."

Talgrun only shrugged, his signal for indicating that he didn't know exactly what she said, but that he took her word for it. "Red orcs, puppets. Demons, puppeteers." He confirmed.

"The demons made the power source?" They had had a talk about that already, before the elven base had been destroyed. The information from that conversation had been relayed to the general.

"Yes!" He said, while keeping his voice down since the practically the whole convoy was asleep.

"So the green orcs are good?" She could almost belief that after having seen what the red orcs had done. At least the green orcs had known mercy, at least that was part of the information Chereesa had gathered just before the assault on the elven base.

"Yes!" At least there was one that was good, she could now belief that.

Just to be sure she asked. "Green orcs are not demons?"

"Green orcs not demons!" He returned vehemently. "Green orcs hate demons." She was slightly surprised by that last part. _If the green orcs hated demons, then why would they want to be red?_

The next day came and to his surprise, Talgrun had dozed of and fell asleep. He woke to being dragged over the ground by the cart. He got to his feet quickly and matched the pace, careful not to trip over anything. Apparently the ones in charge of convoy had decided to put some more distance between them and the carnage that had been wrought behind them. At least he didn't have a chance of being beat up again, because all the night-elves would be busy marching or healing wounded.

The day dragged on until the sun was shining at it's brightest on his skin, and then it lessened again. The convoy ground to a halt when he couldn't feel any sunlight on his skin anymore. He could feel bruises all over his legs from tripping a couple of times and landing on his knees or shins. Feeling around his chin he felt a beard growing there. Xani brought some food at one point, a piece of bread and a lot of water, at least there wasn't a shortage of water.

He had only just finished his food when he heard a night-elf speak to him. It was a new voice. "So, _you_ are a mighty orc?" The new night-elf asked menacingly, but still slowly enough for Talgrun to understand. "Not so mighty now, with your hands tied together and those nasty bruises." Talgrun could tell it was a male night-elf talking to him from the deeper and gruffer voice. He had to fill in a lot of spots in the sentences he didn't understand to have an idea what the elf was talking about.

_Play along? Or just keep quiet? Hmm, play along. _"Want to untie?"

Talgrun could hear the elf sitting down in front of him. "Nah." A metal boot imbedded itself in Talgrun jaw just after that. "Not so mighty now." The elf repeated.

* * *

"Want to untie?" Xani heard Talgrun ask. It had been another long day, healing many wounded. At least now the enormous amount of wounded was shrinking. The amount of soldiers walking around the convoy was larger than the day before. But still, many more lay waiting with only average bandages to stop bleeding. Because of the lack of healers, many of the wounded had become infected. The infections were only beginning, but if it was going to take days, as was expected, to reach the nearest night-elven forces, many would die of the infections.

Anxiety had risen quickly among the troops. Scouts that had been send out to investigate their surroundings had found strange footprints they hadn't seen before. Already Cenarius mention that he had felt something demonic about the chaotic orcs and these new reports had merged and formed a new rumour. Demons were closing in on them and many thought that could be truth, as even the commanders had become slightly more anxious and had increased the amount of active guards around the convoy.

She could hear the night-elf say, "Nah." Then the elf kicked forward into Talgrun's face. "Not so mighty now."

Talgrun spat blood on the ground, one of his sharp teeth had pierced his lip. "Who are you?" He asked as if he didn't feel any pain at all, however did look slightly dizzy from the blow to his head.

"Friends call me Obi, superiors call me Obi, inferiors calls me Obi. You may also call me Obi."

"Okay." Talgrun began speaking in his own language at a rapid pace. It sounded a lot like curses and every now and then 'Obi' was mixed in with the curses.

Obi to got the point that he was being insulted and tried to stop him by grabbing Talgrun by the tusks protruding from Talgrun's lower jaw and then ramming Talgrun's head into the ground. It shut Talgrun up, but crossed a line with Xani. This being had been put in her care, even if she didn't like that very much at the moment.

"Hey!" She walked over to them. "I'd recommend against doing anything else to this prisoner."

Obi Got up to is feet and straightened up. "But Priestess, this is just an animal, it is not like us." He said humbly, one of the advantages of being a priestess.

"Of course Talgrun is not like us, he is an orc!"

"My point exactly, a savage. Or didn't you see what they did back there?"

_I don't have time to explain all this! Wait a minute. _"I did see, they defeated us. What do you think we would do to them, had we defeated them?" Obi wanted to answer, he had already opened his mouth to do so, but Xani cut him of. "We would have done exactly the same." She wasn't very proud of it, but it was probably the truth.

"They are savages, they deserve it. Their whole settlement" Obi retorted.

This crossed another line with her, this one put in her mind by the priestly training. "Then we are no better then them, if we exterminate entire settlements!" She shouted at the hunter, she could see he was, or at least had been, a hunter by his heavy armour and the large glaive on his back

"Than what would you do with them?"

"Negotiate, Talgrun here had already demonstrated that they can and that some are willing to talk."

"Stop this nonsense!" Kaylin shouted, stepping out of a small crowd that had gathered. Only now Xani saw that crowd and she felt a bit embarrassed, so out in the open. "Soldier," Obi straightened up again and saluted, "I believe I gave orders not to harm this creature, he may still provide useful information. What have you got to say about that?"

Obi was clearly hesitating, but finally he said, "Nothing, I have nothing to say to that."

"We need every soldier we can get right now, so I wont reprimand you right now." She turned around again, believing her job had been finished, and walked away again. Not long after that small crowd dispersed and they were left alone again. Without a word, Obi sat down against the cart Talgrun had been bound to. He didn't take his eyes of the orc.

Xani went back inside the cart and sat down on one of the benches. "Nice." Chereesa's voice softly said. "You are getting better. Did you see the crowd?"

"I only saw the crowd afterwards, and I felt extremely embarrassed at that moment. So why didn't you help me out?"

"I only woke up, I think, halfway into your argument." Chereesa yawned. "You know, I think I am going back to sleep." She lay back down on the large wooden bench she had claimed as her own and fell asleep again after a few minutes.

_When will this end? I wake up, I heal as many people as I can before being so depleted I can barely stand. I sleep and then wake again to repeat the process. And that about twice a day. From what I hear from others, it isn't very different with the other priests. I wonder how long one can continue like this before breaking down completely._

* * *

Talgrun woke, it was still night-time for he couldn't feel any sunlight or just the warmth of the day-time. There was an undeniable feeling that something was closing. In fact, it was as if he could reach out and touch it right now. Only he didn't want to, it felt demonic somehow. It felt just like the power source and when he had been near the battle, only now it was much stronger. He could even smell, or was that just his imagination? He sniffed the air again, no he wasn't imagining. Something foul was definitely very near.

But he hadn't expected it to be so near. The sounds of paws hitting the ground reached his ears. The sound of nails digging into the ground. He could hear whatever it was snort. _This is a demon! Are these elves demented or something? How could they miss them? _From all the noises he was fairly certain the demon walked on all fours and was nearing the cart Talgrun was bound to. _Obi! Didn't that guy sit down next to the cart? _He crawled to where he thought Obi should be sitting. He quickly searched for the head and found the neck. Nothing had happened to him, he could still feel a pulse. He shifted position to crawl toward the cart, but a rock shifted beneath his foot. The sound of it seemed to have increased it's volume a thousand times to Talgrun. _Damn! _The demon, or whatever it was, had heard it to.

The next thing Talgrun felt was a large body coming down on top of him. With his arms he pushed the creature of himself. The demon ran towards him again, but this time Talgrun knew where it was coming from and how far away it was. It was going easier than he had expected, somehow he knew exactly where the demon was and how it moved. He could even make out it's rough form, as if all of his remaining senses were combining to replace his sight. It came towards him on all fours, it's tentacles flaying in the air. The maw opened, but before it could snap down on a part of his body, Talgrun grabbed the head and stopped the demon from moving another inch. It short front paws tried claw his hand, but they were to short.

With one hand he held the beast at bay and with the other he reach for one of the tentacles that shot towards him. The bonds around is hands gave him just enough movement to grab hold of it and rip it of. The demon yelped as if it was some sort of dog. _Hopefully the elves will wake up now and start doing something._ Indeed activity did begin, but that activity couldn't prevent the other tentacle from latching on to Talgrun's chest. However, he didn't give the tentacle time to do what it was supposed to do. The second tentacle he ripped from the main body as well. The demon didn't try to attack anymore, now it wanted to flee. But Talgrun still had a hold of it's head.

_Looking _around, he was able to _see _the cart a few feet away. He stood up and lifted the demon of the ground. The demon tried to squirm out of his grip, but his hands wouldn't budge. He ran towards the cart and smashed the demon's head into the cart's wooden walls. To his irritation, the demon's short neck didn't break, nor had it's skull. Still, blood seeped from between it's teeth, because a tooth had punctured something inside it's maw and had drawn blood. Again he pounded the demon into the side of the cart, and again, until he heard the demon's neck and skull break simultaneously. The cart rocked from side to side from the impacts, waking everybody inside it.

"What is going on!" Was one of the most common shouts uttered.

Obi, sitting outside the cart also woke up. He jumped upwards ripping the three-edged glaive from his back. Turning around until he finally faced Talgrun and the dead demon. "What is that?"

Talgrun looked at the elf and said, "Demon." Obi answered with something he did not at all understand, to fast and complicated. All along the convoy small battles seemed to erupt. The same yelping as from this demon pierced the air.

"What is going on!" Xani asked after getting out of the cart. She saw the crunched demon propped up against one side of the cart and felt a wave of fear run over her spine. _Fellbeasts! No no no! Demons have been gone from this world for thousands of years. _She knew she wasn't getting anywhere by despairing like this, so she pushed the feeling away best she could and walked towards Obi and Talgrun, who were having a argument and asked "What is going on?" She asked again. Talgrun only made a signal with his hands that he had no idea what Obi was talking about, to fast and complicated.

"This orc called his demon friends here!"

That Talgrun did understand. "No! Did not!" He shouted angrily.

"Did you kill that fellbeast?" She asked Obi, pointing towards the broken demon she had recognised as a fellbeast.

"No."

"Than who could have done that except him?"

"Uhm. . ."

"Right. I'll ask again. What is going on?"

Obi only shrugged, but Talgrun answered. "Demons attack."

"We got that part!" Obi shouted.

"No, he is right," Obi looked very confused. Xani sighed heavily before explaining. "These fellbeasts feed of magical energy with their tentacles, so whoever commands them has send them in to eliminate all the magic users around here. They are one of the greatest fears of any magic user." Which was why she had been taught about them when becoming a priest.

"Magic users like you. But the demons have been gone from this world for thousands of years." Obi looked rather frightened by the prospect of having to fight demons, Xani imagined she didn't look much better, worse probably. Memories of teachers telling about the demons of the first invasion of the Burning Legion kept flashing through her mind.

"Watch out!" Chereesa shouted, bow in hand, arrow at the ready. More fellbeast jumped from the bushes. She let loose of the arrow and sailed right into the head of one of the fell beasts, stopping the fellbeast dead in it's tracks. More soldiers were now running around, weapons ready and trying to intercept the fellbeasts. The fellbeast were only coming from one side as far they could tell, from the north. Chereesa walked towards Xani and gave Xani her weapons. "Here." Obi already held his own weapon ready.

Xani quickly thanked Chereesa for bringing the weapons, but doubted she would use them. She was a priest, not a soldier, her first concern was with keeping everybody alive. It didn't take long before Kaylin arrived as well. "Thank Elune! At least one priestess is still alive."

"What! What about the others?" Xani immediately shouted upon hearing that, disregarding the difference in rank.

"Most are dead, killed while they were resting by the fellbeasts." She looked at the soldiers standing nearby, ten total. "We are retreating." She said after a while. "There are demons in all shapes and sizes coming from the north and west. Everybody gather at the middle of the convoy, from there we will move south." After saying that she walked to Talgrun and with her sword cut the bonds around his wrists. Nobody said anything about it, she was to high in rank to protest.

Before Kaylin could leave again Xani did protest, but not about Talgrun. "We are just going to leave all the wounded in the carts?"

"We have to, I am not going to waste more lives again protecting wounded than we can save by retreating immediately. All the wounded that can walk must do so." Now she did turn around and left.

It was silent among them for some time, there weren't many fellbeast attacking them here at the rear end of the convoy. "Do as she said, go the middle of the convoy!" A captain shouted. The captain stumbled from the cart, bandage around his waist and shoulders. More wounded tried to do the same.

"This isn't happening." Xani said, more to herself than anybody else. "We are just going to leave the wounded?" She stood frozen in place while around her the order was being fulfilled.

Talgrun stepped in front of her, strangely capable of knowing what was in front of her. He put his hands on his shoulders and said, "Armour."

She slowly nodded and said, "Okay." _I suppose we need every able soldier we can get. _Slowly she began moving back into the cart. She gave him his shoulder plating which had been stored in the cart. After getting her own small bag she slowly walked outside again, ignoring the requests to stay from the more severely injured as much as she could. Once outside again she suddenly asked Talgrun, "You can see?" Which was a ridiculous thing to ask, since he was still wearing the blindfold over his eyes.

"Somehow, little, shapes." He answered with his limited vocabulary. She noticed was holding his crystal in one hand now. It glowed brightly, but he put it away again.

The group moved to where Kaylin had indicated. Underway, Talgrun picked a sword from a fallen elf. They almost arrived to late, the soldiers were already retreating south. It seemed that Kaylin had taken charge, she was issuing orders at a rapid pace, even to other commanders.

But no matter how hard Kaylin tried, soldiers still died. The forces were retreating, but not fast enough. From the north and west demons were assaulting them. Elves were falling at a rapid pace. But to her relief, at least there were more demons dying. She was so busy issuing orders that she almost didn't notice the fellbeast coming up behind her. But it wasn't she who dispatched the demon, it was Julios. Apparently he had found the nerve to do what he was supposed to do as a soldier. She nodded her thanks to him and then said, "We shouldn't stay behind, we can't give orders if we are dead." However, she was reluctant to give up her advantageous position. From this small rise in the landscape she could see everything she needed to see. She quickly took in all the information she needed about the demons nearest to the soldiers.

"Commander!" Julios shouted. "They are coming for us now!"

Kaylin turned around and saw Julios had already put another fellbeast down. "Alright, come." The two of them ran down the rise, but only one arrived. Half-way there, a flying doom guard came down just behind them and swung his burning sword only once. Enough to cleave Julios' body in half. The next moment a volley of arrows from the amassed soldiers pierced the doom guard's thick hide. The demon went down quickly under the onslaught of sharp arrows. Kaylin just looked at Julios' two separate body parts, but she had seen to much death in combat to be able to feel anything about his death right now. _Maybe later, if I still remember him then._


	10. Chapter 8: A Demon's Touch

A bit late, but better late than never. I exactly know where I am going with the story, I just haven't quite figured out the part in between. That said, enjoy.

* * *

**Chapter 8: A Demon's Touch**

The night-elves had fled south for four days. In those days, the demons had attacked them time and time again. Their numbers had dwindled quickly until there were only a few hundred left, and then until their were only a hundred left. But now, after four days, it seemed that the demons had given up. And finally Xani saw the reason behind Kaylin's decision to leave the wounded behind. If they had taken the wounded with them, they would have had to take to much time to get them all out of the carts and put them on makeshift stretchers. Even then, if they had come that far, they would be a lot slower with all the wounded. The wounded that had been able to run on their own had kept pace as best they could, but a lot of their wounds had reopened, forcing them to move slower and ultimately be cut down by the demons behind them. Still, Xani couldn't shake the thought of the wounded lying in those carts, knowing they were left to the demons, waiting to die. During the relatively quiet periods, Xani drawings began filling up the small bag she had with her. The sketching and drawing helped her relax greatly and allowed her to concentrate on something else than the constant threats around her.

The most amazing thing that had happened had to do with Talgrun. He could somehow see again, while still wearing the blindfold. On more than one occasion he had managed to save a few elves, earning him a sort of respect from the other soldiers. They seemed to have forgotten what he really was. The fact that he had quickly learned to understand Kaylin's orders helped greatly. No longer did he need time to interpret what Kaylin meant, when she gave an order. But, when orders or sentences got complicated he still needed time to figure out what they meant. Luckily for him, Kaylin's orders were always short, simple and to the point.

Kaylin had had practically no sleep at all, being the only commander left. The physical signs of sleep deprivation clear on her face. After four days everybody looked like wrecks, but she was the worst. At several occasions Xani had doubted whether Kaylin would be able to continue on for long like that. She needn't wonder anymore after the demons had apparently given up. Kaylin had given orders to rest for one day, she had pointed out the first guards, and then she was the first to fall asleep as a result of total physical exhaustion.

Chereesa had shown she was actually one of their best archers, but had also shown that she was practically worthless when fighting up close. But there was still the elf Obi. Whenever a demon got close to Chereesa, he shot forward and fended the demon of. Together the two of them made a good team. But she was almost through her arrows when the demons gave up. The two of them rarely left each other's sight now, just in case the demons did attack again.

In their four day travel, the landscape around them had changed. The tall Ashenvale trees made way for trees more adapt to dryer lands. The temperature had increased a bit and the ground now had less bushes on it, and more grass. Signs that they were nearing the lands south of Ashenvale, The Barrens, called that way for a very good reason. It was a dry and hot area, not something night-elves were very enthusiastic about.

The night of rest passed quickly, turning into another warm day quickly. Xani was sitting on the ground, her sword in her hands. She was staring at the completely clean blade when Talgrun sat down across from her. She hadn't used the blade even once. She had had plenty of opportunities, but there was always someone else to do it for her. One night's rest couldn't make all the signs of exhaustion go away, even with the hardened veteran of combat Talgrun. "Alright?" He asked.

She looked at him tiredly. "No, I am here, I am not alright. Everybody here is not alright." She scratched at a patch of dried blood on one of the sleeves of her leather armour. It was still the blood from days ago when she had been healing the wounded. "Nobody here will make it out of here alive!" She paused and looked at Talgrun again, whom was patiently waiting for her to continue. "Agh, why am I telling you this anyway, you cant even understand what I am saying."

"I do understand." He said. "Have had same feelings."

She had forgotten that part, he had of course seen such things many times before. Maybe not exactly the same, but close enough. She smiled briefly and said, "Thank you."

Kaylin came towards them, moving as if she had fully regenerated from one night's rest, but the way she looked said otherwise. In one hand she held some sort of rope made from flexible tree roots. "Put this around his wrists and then attach it to that tree over there." She ordered as sternly as ever.

"What? Why?" Xani asked.

"Just a precaution, he is still a prisoner, Xani." She walked away again, not giving Xani a chance to protest further, to give orders to some other elves.

"Sorry, orders." Xani said to Talgrun before putting the rope around his wrists and then attaching the rope to a tree. Talgrun only nodded, as if he wasn't in disagreement with Kaylin, although Xani couldn't imagine he was happy with being bound to something again. After the rope had been attached to the tree, Talgrun testing it's strength, but it wouldn't break.

The resting day ended quickly. The day after that they went on the move again, still further south. What the planned route was, Xani didn't know. She doubted there even was a route planned. The pace they set was quite relaxed to not go past anyone's limits. To Xani's horror some of the soldiers had gone out to hunt for food. They returned with deer across their backs. At first she had protested slightly, but soon enough she saw that couldn't keep themselves on just plants they found around. Because first of all, there was not enough to continue on for days. And second, because the amount of eatable plants grew less and less the closer they got to The Barrens.

Even after the demon's relentless pursuit, Some of them were wounded and had still managed to keep up, but the fact that they were still alive meant that their wounds were not very severe. Over the course of two days Xani was capable of healing them all. By that time they had fully entered The Barrens. She had expected it to be a desert, but it wasn't. It was still a wide open plain, but with plenty of grasses growing on the ground, with only a few large mountains withstanding erosion dotting the landscape. Dried up rivers crisscrossed through the landscape and here and there were a few hardy trees that had managed to hang on to life. But this was also practically unknown territory to the elves, who preferred to stay in the north, in their forests. And the last reports Xani had known of indicated that The Barrens was mostly controlled by the orcs.

They made a small camp just at the edge of the forest. If any orcs did find them, they could disappear back into the forest.

"How long are we going to stay here?" Chereesa asked of Kaylin.

"Until we can find a way back to the north, a while." They again bound Talgrun to a tree, the fear that he would make a run for it had manifested itself again. He could now somehow see again and they were closer to lands controlled by the orcs then ever before.

Talgrun himself was still amazed by his newfound ability. He could _see_ the shapes of everything around him, but couldn't see any colours. The more he tried to understand it, the more he knew it wasn't really seeing anything. It was more like _knowing_ where everything was, but his mind presented it to him as a sort of vision. _Still, whatever it is, it is better than being completely blind. Maybe I can make a run for it one of these days when they aren't watching. But these ropes. . . _He again tested their strength and found they still wouldn't budge. _These ropes are to strong for me. And if I do somehow get loose, how do I know I wont run into my clan instead of Thrall's forces? Agh, The Barrens is a big place, I will probably have a bigger chance of running into the arms of Thrall's forces then I do being found by a Warsong scout, if I get loose._

He looked towards Xani and Chereesa sitting not so far away. In one hand he kept his crystal. _What about them? I think I've grown to like some of them, in a strange way. They are so different from orcs in so many ways, but at the same time. . . They are the same, but in a different way._

_Somehow._

* * *

One week had passed since the battle and things were not improving, at least not according to Nielak. More and more the orcs began thinking that it all wasn't such a bad thing, which already didn't count as very good according to Nielak. But to make matters worse, Mannoroth managed to finally convince Grom to willingly let a portal be erected just besides the fortress inside the Warsong settlement. And most just let it happen. Only a few protested, but their opinion quickly changed after the first demons began coming through the portal.

As Grom had told Nielak before, it was only a small portal. It could only transport a few demons through every day. All of those that came through the portal were either those smaller fellbeasts or the larger doom guard. Now that the demon's influence was much stronger with actual demons around the settlement, even Nielak had trouble keeping his ever mounting rage in check. It was even more difficult now that it was expected of everybody to blindly follow any demon's instruction, even if that order was to kill yourself. Fortunately, Nielak was not bound by the exact same set of rules as a normal grunt, since he was an honour guard.

One more week passed and nobody even looked up when a demon walked passed them, except maybe to be in awe of it's greatness. Nielak had to be at the fortress everyday, since both the Warlord and the chieftain were there. The arguments between Grom and demons grew less and less by the day. Where in the beginning he would never have allowed a portal to be constructed, now he was having conversations with doom guards to bring more through. The arguments between Warlord Firetusk and Grom did increase. Firetusk was clearly against bringing anymore demons through for the moment.

At the moment however, the Warlord was enjoying a evening meal at the fortress in the main hall, Nielak across from him at the table.

"So, I hear you are expecting a fourth child now?" Firetusk asked in his now usual talkative fashion. It was true, Jirina was again pregnant, one month or so now, so it must have happened before the whole power source expedition. Nielak could think of a few occasions that might have been responsible.

"You heard right." Nielak and Firetusk were having more and more conversations, just like Grom and Firetusk were having less and less friendly conversations. Around the two of them more officers and guards were discussing whatever they usually discussed. Mostly it was boasting about their combat prowess. "A fourth now."

"Already thought of a name yet?"

"Sir! I have known for only two days, there are still months ahead to figure out a name."

"Please, I told you before. On occasions like this, please call me Gralger."

"Alright, Gralger."

The Warlord smiled at him, but the smile evaporated suddenly. The Warlord turned to his right on the bench and asked, "What was that?" He caught the attention of a small group of officers. "What did you just say?"

Nielak hadn't heard anything, but the one of the officers stepped forward and answered. "We were just talking about how you are not fit for command anymore, Warlord." That officer answered defiantly.

Gralger angrily shot upward to his feet, pushing the bench he had been sitting on back. "And why would that be?" He asked kindly, but his body radiated the rage brewing inside.

The same officer as before took another step forward, seemingly unafraid of Gralger's anger. "Look at yourself, you can barely stand with that destroyed knee." The other officers that had been talking with that officers also took a step forward, but made sure to keep a respectable distance. All around them the conversations stopped and eyes were redirected at the brewing conflict.

"One, the knee is not destroyed. . ." Gralger stood on that one leg just to prove the fact. It looked a bit childish, but it proved the Warlord's point. "And second, how does a slightly reduced ability to manoeuvre lessen my ability to give orders?"

From that moment on Nielak didn't listen anymore. Grom had just walked out of his room at the top of the stairs and was now leaning against a railing overlooking the large hall. To Nielak's surprise Grom didn't do anything to stop the brewing conflict between the young Warlord and the slightly older officer. He just stood there as if it were some sort of amusing show.

"Alright! We settle this right here, right now!" Gralger shouted at the officer.

The Warlord had already picked up his metal gloves from the table, which he had taken of to eat. Normally he always wore the thick armour, except when sleeping. He was already on his way to take his weapon from a rack against one the walls, but Nielak intercepted him. "Are you sure this is wise, Warlord?" Nielak whispered.

"What? Are you also convinced that I can't stand up to such a pathetic excuse for an orc?" Gralger whispered back angrily.

"No no, but officers don't grow on trees."

The Warlord chuckled, "I like that. No Nielak, this is to set an example for any other officers thinking the same. It'll happen sooner or later anyway, so it's best to convince the others I am still capable as soon as possible."

At that Nielak backed away and took a spot in the circle that had formed to hold the coming duel. All tables and benches had been pushed to the side to make some room. Already the challenging officer stood ready on one side of the circle, holding the classical battleaxe. The Warlord stepped to his place facing the officer.

"Alright, you want to be the Warlord? Come and show you are capable!" Gralger shouted at the rebellious officer. His shield in his left hand and his hammer in the right, he challenged the officer to attack first.

The officer did exactly that. The officer sprinted forwards and swung the battleaxe at Gralger, who had more than enough time to bring his shield up. The Warlord bat the axe away with the shield and then struck with his own war hammer. The blow was a bit short, the smaller hammer not having the range of larger axe. The hammer only graced the officer's arm. The two disengaged and stepped back, but the officer was quick to attack again.

Minutes passed by with only grazing hits, while the other officers and honour guards stood silently around. Occasionally shouts would be uttered when the two combatants attacked one another again, but otherwise everything was silent. Both of the combatants knew that the other was skilled and would immediately respond to any mistake made, causing a rather cautious battle. However, the rage started building in both of them and it was the rebellious officer who succumbed first. After another failed attack, the officer didn't step back first, but immediately continued. Gralger had his shield up again in time to block the axe coming down, but the officer attacked again and again at an incredible pace. While the officers arms were visibly straining to keep going, Gralger's right leg with the damaged knee was beginning to show increased signs of stress. Gralger's balance was visibly deteriorating because he omitted leaning on that leg more and more, causing the officer to smirk at the victory that was growing nearer and nearer. But in his ever increasing rage, the officer didn't see Gralger's hammer coming. The hammer hit the officer in the side of his chest, just when he had the axe raised above his head, cracking ribs and causing the officer to finally stumble back.

Holding his side and breathing heavily, the officer looked at the Warlord with burning eyes that flared in anger. The officer tried again, but still Gralger brought the battered shield up and blocked. The blow was much weaker than the last one, the officer's strength having taken a massive blow with the cracking of several ribs. Gralger's hammer hit again, at the same spot. The chest gave way to the heavy stone and metal hammer. This time the officer didn't step back, instead he fell back holding his side.

"Had enough already?" Gralger asked, panting from getting rattled every time he blocked the large battleaxe. He stepped back a few paces, just in case the officer was somehow faking.

As a reply the officer got to his feet, but so slowly it was hard to believe the officer was even capable of attacking anymore. Before the officer could do anything else he coughed up blood, spraying the blood on the ground in front of him. The lung on the side that had been hit had apparently been crushed. The officer just stood there, holding his side and blood dripping from his mouth. Gralger relaxed and flexed his shoulders, while the fire in the officer's eyes seemed to fade. Even when Gralger raised the hammer the officer didn't react. Neither did the officer react when the hammer came flying towards him. The fire in the officer's eyes faded completely when the hammer hit him square on the head, cracking the skull and sending the already dead officer to ground.

While Gralger sighed in relief that it was over, only one person in the crowd moved. That one person, another officer, walked towards the dead orc lying on the ground to make sure the orc was dead. Anybody would have seen that the officer was dead, but someone always needed to check. After inspecting the corpse with only a brief glance the officer got back to his feet and nodded towards the Warlord whom had killed the orc.

"Is that prove enough for you?! Or are there more that would challenge me for the title of WARLORD?!" Gralger shouted triumphantly. Nielak saw that Grom returned back to his own quarters at that, satisfied with what had happened.

The crowd was clearly convinced that their current Warlord still deserved that rank and as such nobody said anything. At the Warlord's orders everybody returned to what they had been doing before the duel, while two peons were instructed to clean up the mess. The Warlord himself sat down again at the table that had been put back in place. Across from him Nielak sat down again as well.

"Did that convince you that I am still capable?" Gralger asked, still breathing heavily a bit and holding his aching knee under the table.

"You didn't need to convince. . ." Nielak gnawed his lower lip in thought for a moment. "Nice throw by the way."

"Thanks. But something is bothering you." Gralger said while piercing Nielak with a probing look.

Nielak sighed lightly and then said, "Why are we letting this happen? I am sure this little 'incident' wouldn't have happened had we not taken an interest in that well of Mannoroth's power."

"I am sure of it. We would be dead by now if we hadn't, making it difficult for us to fight amongst ourselves." Nielak gave him an annoyed look as a response. "Alright, I know what you mean." Gralger lowered his voice slightly. "And you're absolutely right, but what can we do about it now? We are bound to Mannoroth in a way that we cannot break."

"Besides killing Mannoroth?"

Gralger chuckled, surprising Nielak a bit. He had for some reason expected Gralger to be angry that he would think about killing Mannoroth. "There is nobody here who can stand up to that monster. Not even if all of us here would try. Besides, if we did try, the bond between us and him would allow him to influence us into. . . Not killing him."

"We killed Cenarius." Nielak countered.

"Pah! Mannoroth is one of the highest ranking officers in the Burning Legion!" Gralger said a bit loud. A few heads momentarily turned their way, looking at them for a moment before turning back again. "And Cenarius' death was a stroke of luck on your part. Don't look at me like that, Grom told me all about it."

"I prefer to see it as a combination of luck and skill." Nielak paused for a moment, wondering if it was a wise thing to say what he was thinking about. "I thought you and Grom didn't talk much anymore."

"Hmmpf, He told me that just after the battle, when he was still talking to me." Gralger said much less enthusiastically now. "At least he still talks to me about things of strategic importance. No matter the personal relationships, he still puts the clan before anything else."

"Like putting the clan under demon rule?" He had said before he could stop himself

Gralger leaned forward. "Watch yourself Nielak! Mannoroth and this 'gift' I may not agree with just like you, but Grom is still the chieftain." Fortunately for Nielak, Gralger kept his voice down with the last part, so nobody noticed.

"No no no, at the time it might have seemed like a good move to Grom, but I am sure he thinks differently now." Nielak said quickly, trying to calm the Warlord a bit.

Gralger leaned back again, calmed down a bit. "Quite literally he thinks differently now. Before he didn't want to have anything to do with Mannoroth's plans, but now he is talking with Mannoroth about the plans of the Burning Legion for this world. I am sure you noticed that."

"The portal." Nielak said, naming one of the things Grom had been disagreeing with in the beginning. Gralger nodded that it was indeed one of those things. "Wait a minute, what plans does the Burning Legion have for this world?"

Gralger hesitated for a moment, but in the end told Nielak everything he knew. "To keep it short, apparently there is a enormous source of arcane power on this world. It is similar to the Mannoroth's well of power. The Legion's leaders are attracted to that arcane power just like we were drawn to Mannoroth's little well. However, what Mannoroth created pales in comparison to what the Legion is looking for."

"And what is this arcane power?" Nielak inquired.

"well, it seems that the Burning Legion has already been to this world before, in search of that same power. Ten thousand years ago to be slightly more exact. However, the Legion had been beaten back then in a world shattering war. After that war the power that the demon's had been looking for remained on this world."

"So they are now coming back to take it after all?"

"Indeed. And you know what, the night-elves were the ones who had beaten the Legion back ten thousand years ago."

"Seriously?"

"Yup. Mannoroth gave enough of a history lesson to Grom to let that fact shine through. And Cenarius was one of the key players in that war, so the Legion wanted him out of the before they tried anything else. And that is where we came in. We were nice enough to kill Cenarius. . ."

". . . Clearing the way for the demons to come to this world." Nielak finished.

"According to Grom, Mannoroth didn't go into anymore details, but this is roughly what Mannoroth told Grom."

"You said there was a world shattering war between the Legion and the elves. If the Legion is returning, will there be another war?"

"I can only guess there will be, but this time the Legion's leaders took any possible obstacles into account, clearing away obstacles like Cenarius before coming here themselves."

"If the Legion does succeed this time, what will happen to the clan?"

This time someone else answered. "They will take us back into the fold of the Burning Legion!" Grom answered, seemingly not very upset with that prospect. He even seemed eager for it. Grom had come down to them only seconds ago, only having heard the conversation from 'there coming another war'. Both Nielak and Gralger looked at him as if he had lost his mind, although both tried to hide that expression.

"Wait a minute! 'back' into the fold?" Nielak asked quickly before Gralger could say something about Grom newest change of opinion.

Grom sat down at the table next to Gralger and put his hands on the table. "The bloodlust, how long has it been with our people? Since long before you were born, Nielak, and long before you were born, Warlord. How? Back on Dreanor we had already made the pact with Mannoroth, it was just reawakened here."

Nielak looked momentarily at Gralger, whom seemed just as surprised as Nielak. _Willingly? _Nielak wondered. _Did they make that pact willingly?_ "Did you make that pact willingly?" He asked hesitantly. Gralger already gave him a warning look.

"Of course we did!"

Gralger changed the subject. "Then what are we going to do about the other orcs? Those lead by Warchief Thrall."

"Ah yes, naïve Thrall. In time he will see reason."

"Before the Legion finishes it's plans for this world?" Gralger continued

"If he doesn't, it will be the end of him."


	11. Chapter 9: First Kill

And here is a new chapter! Don't really have anything sensible to say, so just read on.

* * *

**Chapter 9: First Kill**

Not far away from him, fire swirled in between two gigantic pillars. The swirling sped up and slowed down. Every time it sped up a new demon emerged from the fire, stepping onto the soil of the world they were sent to conquer. After emerging they would march in small groups towards the Warsong fortress, to receive their instructions. Every demon that emerged passed him by without looking at him, for he was but a inferior orc of no importance to them. That suited Nielak just fine, he hated every moment one of them looked at him. Luckily, still not a lot of demon's came through the portal. Since the portal's creation, it had grown to almost one and a half times it's original size, allowing passage of as many times more demons a day.

"So what are we going to do?" A voice he loved spoke from his right.

He turned to look at Jirina. "What do you mean?" He asked, but he knew what she meant, he just wanted to hear her say it.

"About this. . ." She gestured at the portal. "What are we going to do? I am getting sick of having to do their bidding, even if that hasn't been so much yet." The longer the clan stayed under the demon's control, her hate of them increased. However, slowly but surely even she was falling to the demon's influences. Still, the two of them counted as two of the least influenced in the entire settlement. Everybody else only cared about ways to vent their rage. The best way was fighting. But there weren't any enemies, so infighting became a daily issue.

"Nothing. Unless you can summon some kind of hidden powers to destroy it, I don't see a way to do something about it." He answered, sighing afterwards.

"I'll use some hidden powers on you if you give up!" She said aggressively. "If I am going to raise another child, it will be without any demons nearby. And the only way we can do that is if we get rid of these demons!"

"We? How are _we_ going to do that? Because I really have no idea, except getting rid Mannoroth."

"Then we kill Mannoroth!"

Nielak laughed just as Gralger had done before, when Nielak had implied destroying Mannoroth. "We can't kill Mannoroth, it can't be done." He looked at her tiredly.

A slight hint of disdain slipped in her expression. "Are you giving up on me? The Nielak I chose as a mate wouldn't do that, you are not the same anymore."

"Of course I am not the same anymore! Just look at me." He shouted angrily. "Neither are you the same one that I chose."

"The Nielak I knew wouldn't give up!" Jirina repeated, not listening to what he had said.

"Hey! I am not quite giving up!" Nielak retorted annoyed. "I just cant think of a way to. . . Well. . . To free the clan. Can you?"

The disdain vanished from her eyes. Instead she frowned in thought. "What about the other orcs? Warchief Thrall might know ways to free the clan."

"So you suggest we leave for them? Nah, we don't even know where they are exactly. The last reports from any scouts that had sighted them is a week old. If we head out into The Barrens to look for them, we might never find any of them. Besides, I still have my duty as an honour guard."

"Agh! You can't keep hiding behind your _duties_, Nielak. You told me often enough about how much Grom has changed. This is not the same chieftain you swore to protect."

"I know, I know, but he is still the chieftain. I can't just turn my back on him."

Jirina chuckled for a moment. "You know what your problem is? You are to loyal for your good."

"I know that to." Nielak smiled back at her.

* * *

One week had passed in The Barrens. Their group had stayed put in that time, only scouts were send out to see if there were any threats in the vicinity. Meanwhile, the soldiers drove the boredom away anyway they could. Sharpening their weapons, making new arrows or just making conversations about topics they had talked about a hundred times before. But now was the first time that the scouts brought back some concerning information.

Xani had dozed of again, sitting on a rock not to far away from Talgrun. Their conversations had continued as before, but they went better and better. Words flowed faster from Talgrun each time, although his accent was still horrendous to listen to. A finger tapped Xani on the forehead, waking her from yet another dream bordering on a nightmare. She opened her eyes and saw Chereesa standing in front of her.

"What?" She asked both tiredly and annoyed.

"We have a problem." Chereesa answered.

"What a surprise. What problem now?"

Chereesa eyes turned towards Talgrun. "A big problem." Talgrun was just sitting there, the thick rope around his wrists bound to a very sturdy tree. Chereesa guided Xani further away from Talgrun. "The scouts have found several large orc patrols in The Barrens. They are close. Talgrun must not hear of this, or he might try to make a run for it. And if he finds a way to his own people, he might tell them how to find us."

"I see. Well. . . I know one thing that will at least temporarily keep him from thinking of escape." The two of them looked at Talgrun for moment, who was looking at them in turn.

"And what is that? And how long will that last?" Chereesa inquired when Talgrun looked away.

"Long enough for what?"

"Well, eventually we'll be going back north. And apparently Kaylin wants to take him with us."

"What? Drag him along all that time? We have already learned a lot from him."

"So you would let him go after we headed north?" Chereesa asked sharply.

"Yes, by the time he finds his own people, we'll be far away from here. And even then, he will only be able to tell the other orcs that we went 'somewhere' to the north."

"True." Chereesa frowned in thought for a moment. "With what do you think you can keep him busy for a little while?" She again, with a few words more.

"Blindfold." Was the single word Xani uttered as a response, before turning and walking towards Talgrun. Chereesa watched her walk for a few moments before walking away in another direction herself. Xani put her still unused sword on the ground a few feet outside of Talgrun's range and then sat down in front of him. "So, are you ready?"

"For what?" Talgrun asked without needing to search for the words. The amount of words he knew increased every day. The ability to form more complete sentences increased as well. Although his accent was still horrendous.

"We can try to take the blindfold of." Talgrun touched the cloth across his eyes as if he had forgotten it was there. "If your eyes haven't healed by now, they probably never will."

For a moment, Talgrun looked unsure of what to do. But the moment he took his crystal into the light and held it to his forehead, that look faded away. He kept the crystal in one hand and then said, "Alright."

Slowly, Xani reached forward and untied the ragged cloth. The cloth came of easily, but Talgrun still had his eyes closed. "You can open your eyes now." He opened them slowly, and looked right into the sunlight. "No! Don't look in the direction of the sun. Let your eyes adjust first." Talgrun turned away from the sunlight and held his hands above his eyes. Blinking a lot, he tried to let his eyes adjust.

"Well. . . Uhm. . . I see, 'something'." He said finally. "Very bright light."

"Good, good! Take your time." _Take all day if you want to._

Talgrun held his still tied together hands up and looked at them intently. For a moment all the muscles in his body seemed to relax and he sighed heavily. "Colour." He said. He looked up at Xani, still blinking a lot. He pointed at her hair and said, "Green hair." and smiled afterwards.

"How observant." Obi's voice sounded from Xani's left. He seemed to savour Talgrun's annoyed look for a moment and then asked, "Where is Chereesa at?" Xani pointed him in the right direction and he walked of.

Xani watched him walk away for a few moments and then looked back towards Talgrun, who was holding a hand full of light brown sand in his hands. He let it run through his fingers and watched intently as it fell to the ground. "You know, only way. . . to truly appreciate the things you take for. . . Granted. . . Is losing them." He said while frowning deeply. A smile followed that and he looked up at her again. "Thank you."

"No, thank you." Talgrun looked at her strangely and she explained, "That was most tricky bit of healing I ever did." She smiled a bit more. A new question came to her. "So where did that crystal come from?" She asked pointing at the crystal in his hands. They had talked about a few times before, but never had Talgrun said anymore than 'found it'. Xani had usually left it at that and had moved on to something else.

"Found it." Talgrun answered as he had done all those times before. The crystal went from his left hand to his right and he his right hand tightened around.

This time she wasn't just going to leave it at that. "Where?"

Talgrun chuckled and said, "Swamp of Sorrows." He said in his own orcish language. "Swamp of Sorrows." He said again, but this time in the human language, common. And finally he said it in the elven language as best he could. He couldn't think up the correct word for 'sorrow' in the elven language, but it was close enough.

"Never heard of that."

"Of course not, it is on the other. . . Uhm. . . Continent." He said, momentarily halting to search for the word 'continent'.

"Alright, what does it do?" She continued, finding more and more that she can talk just as openly to Talgrun as she could to Chereesa. Or maybe that was just because Talgrun rarely asked a question, and if he did it was never personal.

Talgrun looked into the crystal for a moment and smiled while it glowed a bit brighter. "It. . . Helps me calm down, think. Has helped me many times."

"How can it help you calm down or think? It is just a crystal."

For a moment Talgrun looked unsure, but in the end he just shrugged and said, "Hard to explain. Don't know exactly." For a few moments silence reigned between them, until Talgrun changed the subject. "Wont Kaylin be angry?" He pointed at the blindfold. "I might try escape now I can see."

_So much for making him think of something else than escape. _"But you could already see, right? You told me you could see shapes."

"True. But don't worry, rope very strong." He pulled on the rope for a moment to demonstrate that fact for a moment.

"Yes, correct." He looked at some more objects and said which colour they were. A few times Xani had to correct him, since tree logs were not yellow. They continued like that until the sun had already begun it's journey towards the horizon.

"Centaur!" The shout hung in the air for a moment, stopping every activity cold for a moment in the entire camp. The voice sounded an awful lot like that of Obi. Which spurred a few thoughts with Xani. Obi had been looking for Chereesa. So Chereesa was probably close to Obi. And if Obi saw centaur, then they were both in danger.

Centaur were known to night-elves. They had the lower body of horses and the upper body of a humanoid. Normally the centaur stayed in The Barrens and even more to the south, but sometimes there had been small groups or raiding parties that had dared to go more to the north. Now that the orcs had mostly beaten the centaur out of The Barrens, the centaur were probably looking for ways to exact some revenge. Xani knew the orcs were near, so it was not unthinkable that there were also some centaur raiding parties in the vicinity. If one of the groups found a relatively small group of elves they would probably see that as an extra opportunity.

"Centaur to the south!" Kaylin's voice came, spurring all the soldiers into frantic movement. Weapons were picked up, armour was put back on if it had been taken of at all.

Xani to stood up and unsheathed her sword, but she didn't imagine she would actually use it. She already turned towards the south, but a voice stopped her. "Hey!" Talgrun called from behind her. When she looked at him over her shoulder she saw him holding his bound wrists up. "Little help?"

She pondered her choices. _If I cut him loose, he'll have ample opportunities to escape, but if I leave him here he might be the first victim if the centaur decide to flank or come in from behind. _"Alright." she cut him loose and they both sped towards where Obi's voice had come from.

"What is he doing loose?" Kaylin's stern voice came when the two of them were almost there.

"He can help, just like with the demons." Xani answered once she turned towards Kaylin.

"Right. . ." Kaylin looked sceptic for a moment, but didn't argue anymore and just continued giving orders.

They found Obi hunching over a body on the ground. "Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!" Obi cursed. He noticed Xani and moved away from the body to let Xani see the body. He looked at Talgrun with suspicion in his look, but didn't say anything. Xani saw it was Chereesa lying on the ground. An arrow protruded from her shoulder. "They shot her!"

"I can see that!" Xani replied vehemently. "Chereesa!" She shouted.

"I am shot in the shoulder, not deaf." Chereesa replied dryly, trying to keep the pain from her voice, but her face contorted in pain just after that when she tried to move.

Xani looked around to see if they had to worry about centaur being near. The soldiers were fighting the centaur only a few feet away from them, and it would take only one of them to finish the job the arrow had started. She couldn't see how many centaur there were, but it would be about fifty to a hundred. Any more and Kaylin would have called for a retreat and if smaller the centaur would not have dared to attack, unless they were really stupid. "Centaur!" Talgrun said with a lot of contempt in his own language. He looked at her for a moment and said in elven, "centaur." Just like he had heard Kaylin say it seconds before.

Xani inspected the shoulder again. The arrow seemed to not have hit any bones, but it was inevitable that muscles had been torn by it. Xani turned Chereesa on her side to see if the arrow poked through the back of Chereesa's shoulder, but it didn't. Before she could heal the shoulder she would have to get the arrow out. She wiggled the arrow a bit to see how stuck it was. Chereesa grimaced in pain while she did that, but she needed to know. It was firmly lodged in the shoulder, hooks prevented the arrow from going in any other direction than further into the shoulder. "Oh, this is a problem."

"What?" Chereesa asked in between grimaces of pain.

"I can't heal while the arrow is in there, and it's stuck. It'll have to be pulled out." Before she could continue, Talgrun reached down and grabbed the arrow. He pulled it out as if he had been pulling arrows out of bodies all his life. The arrow didn't break and it was done before anyone could react, even Chereesa, who afterwards looked surprised at the hole for a moment. Blood began pumping out of the wound at a rapid pace. "I got it from here, you two can go. She'll be up and about in minutes" Obi immediately made his towards the centaur, wielding his own weapon.

"Obi!" Chereesa shouted before Obi was to far away.

"I know!" He replied.

"What was about?" Xani asked.

"Conversation Obi and I had." Chereesa explained in short, still not making a lot of sense to Xani.

Xani nodded towards Talgrun that he could go as well and she then started healing Chereesa.

On his way towards the centaur Talgrun managed to pick up an axe left behind by a dead centaur. It was much to small for Talgrun, but it would do for the moment.

A lot of the elves he passed were at least slightly surprised to see him free, but most were to busy fighting the centaur to even notice the green being which was no longer a stranger to them. The centaur were more surprised to see him. He knew from previous encounters with centaur that they were not brightest of creatures, but these must be some of the stupidest there were. The first three he fought were just baffled to see an orc fighting WITH the elves, and were quickly slain. But they were starting to adjust. Still it looked like Kaylin had set up an effective defence again. Although there were no sabres left, those that used to ride them now stood up front with their sharpened weapons, just like footmen in human armies or grunts in orcish armies. For the few moments that Talgrun looked around, there was no doubt in his mind that the centaur would be beaten back, it was just how many elves would be left that worried him.

"Orc!" A few centaur shouted when they saw him. A new worry crept in his mind. The centaur held a grudge against the orcs for helping the Tauren out against the centaur, even though the Warsong clan hadn't been part of that. The centaur seemed to have switched objectives, from trying to do as much damage to the elves as possible, to killing the one orc among them. After one of his first three kills he had managed to pick up an axe that was about the same size as a normal orcish battleaxe used by grunts. Within one minute of solely defensive blocks the inferior quality axe was as blunt as the standard axe he had used for months. He craved for his own axe, the larger one that had been lost when he fell into the river. It was better balanced, larger and didn't become blunt so quickly.

The centaur kept pushing him until they were behind him as well, while keeping the elves away. Memories of a cliff and a group of satyrs in similar position flashed through his mind. _This is not a time for memories! _He concentrated on the centaur around him and blocked two more strikes from centaur. Now that they were behind him as well, he noticed that he didn't rely on his own eyes anymore. When he had been able to see only rough shapes there was a advantage in that, for he could also _see_ shapes behind him. He couldn't spend more time searching for an explanation. He whirled around on his heels and blocked a centaur that had come from behind. Momentum carried the four legged creature forward, right into Talgrun's arms. With a quick jerk, Talgrun broke it's neck and let the centaur drop to the ground.

Outside the circle he saw that the elves were now truly getting the upper hand in the battle. Just a little longer! More centaur had a go, and were blocked. But then the axe broke. It snapped in half when he blocked another strike from a centaur, leaving him without a weapon in the middle of a circle of centaur. _Alright, Malkak, Krizslak, here I come. Nielak, will you be there to?_ He thought to himself. A centaur stepped towards him from the circle, holding a axe above it's head. Talgrun straightened up in defiance and waited for the final blow. _Finally my luck runs out._

But his luck hadn't run out just yet. He was so concentrated upon the centaur in front of him that he hadn't seen Chereesa readying an arrow on her bow. Apparently Xani had been able to do some truly quick healing on Chereesa. The first moment he noticed her was when that arrow pierced the side of the centaur's head, making the centaur tip to the side. The arrow had gone straight through the centaur's head, but it was rammed back in when the centaur hit the ground. He hadn't seen Obi before Obi severed the spine of a duo of centaur from behind either. Those two centaur dropped to ground while alive, but their legs no longer received any instructions from the brains. _Why does this keep happening to me? Not that I don't like it though. _

When the centaur turned towards the duo of elves, Talgrun saw his chance to grab an axe from one of the dead centaur. He made a full circle while swirling the axe, slashing stomachs and cutting legs. Without looking, he swung the axe in Obi's direction. He had seen enough of the elf to know he had enough skill and experience to notice it and duck out of the way. Which he did indeed, allowing Talgrun's new axe to strike the centaur that had been coming from behind Obi square in the chest, crushing ribs and ripping a lung. For a moment it seemed that Obi was going to hit Talgrun in the believe that he tried to hit Obi, but then Obi noticed the dieing centaur behind him.

The last centaur were quickly disposed of, or fled. What was left of the centaur leadership called a retreat. Allowing Kaylin to bring the surviving elves together for a head count. Talgrun saw a slight chance for escape. Barely any of the elves had him in their sight and most were walking away from where he stood towards where Kaylin was gathering them. He could make a run for it. But he could also see that some of them still had him in their sights, including a few archers. _I don't think Kaylin would hesitate to order me to be shot if I tried. And knowing how well some of them can shoot. . . _He looked out towards his possible freedom for a moment.

"Don't even think about it, orc!" Came Obi's voice from behind him.

Talgrun turned towards the only elf left that seemed to still hold it against Talgrun that Cenarius died. "Oh, I am thinking about it."

"No doubt." Obi frowned for a moment, as if he contemplating what he should say next. "Uhum, thanks, by the way."

"For what?" He knew very it was about the centaur that came up behind Obi, but he wanted to hear it from Obi.

"Uhm, for killing that centaur, that was going to stab me in the back." Obi said at such a rapid pace to get it out as fast as possible. "How did you know I would duck in time?" He asked after a few moments.

"I didn't _know_, but I know you have some experience, so I thought you would be able to duck in time." Obi nodded a bit. "And I wouldn't have mind if you didn't duck." He walked past Obi towards where the elves were gathering, leaving a steaming Obi behind. Halfway there, he let the axe slip from his hand, letting it drop to the ground. To him it felt he gave up on his latest opportunity to escape. As if he let go of another opportunity to freedom, even if it had only been a slim chance at best.

"You!" Kaylin pointed at a group of soldiers standing not far away from her. "Gather all those worthless centaurs and throw them on one large pile, so they can be burned. The rest of you, gather our own dead so we can give them all their own final resting place, unless you need healing. Get moving!" To Talgrun it seemed that Kaylin had withstand the latest skirmish well.

He saw Chereesa amongst those moving towards dealing with the dead elves. Her shoulder had healed fully, although there was still a large hole in her armour where the arrow went through. Obi quickly caught up with her and together they started carrying bodies to a central location. After a quick count, Talgrun saw that their group of one hundred had been reduced to half it's size.

He turned around, looking for Xani, but couldn't find her. Fear that she had been hurt or killed crept in his mind. _Why am I worrying about her?_ He asked himself. _Because you care for her just like you cared for Nielak and Malkak. _He answered himself.

"So, are you going to help gather dead, or should we tie you up immediately again?" A voice came from behind him.

He turned around, hoping it to be Xani, but he could already tell by the tone of the voice that it wasn't her. Kaylin now stood in front of him, but he looked past her and saw Xani trudging amongst a small group of wounded. The worry left him instantly and he focused upon Kaylin. "Centaur or elves?" He asked. She told him to gather up the dead centaur and haul them to where they were being gathered. He did so. For a moment he thought she might have forgotten to tell someone to keep an eye on him, but she hadn't, multiple elves doing the same as him kept glancing in his direction.

They finished up quickly enough and Kaylin brought him to where they always tied him to the same old tree. "You got lucky again today." She said.

He chuckled for a moment. "My life is based on luck."

"I am still amazed by you. . ." She continued.

"You can be amazed to begin with?"

". . . You manage to learn the elven language in mere weeks, something that normally takes months, years. How do you do that?" She asked, making it sound sincere. Which must mean she was really wondering about it, since she normally showed the least possible emotion.

"By hearing nothing else all day long and by having a good teacher. don't ask me to write though." He answered.

They arrived and saw Xani sitting on the rock were she usually sat when thinking. "What are you doing here? Don't you have wounded to attend to?" Kaylin inquired sternly.

"Done." Xani answered coldly without looking up from what she was doing.

Kaylin didn't say anymore and just tied Talgrun up again and left. Talgrun sat down on the ground and looked at what Xani was doing. She was just looking at her sword, it was unsheathed and rested in her hands. Only after a few moment he noticed that it had blood on it. "Xani?"

"How can you live with yourself?" She asked solemnly. He again looked at the sword in her hands. _First kill. . . _"I mean, you must have. . . Killed. . . Dozens. How can you possibly live with the knowledge that you have ended the life of another intelligent being?" She looked up and he could see a tear in the corner of her eye. When he didn't answer she continued. "I would ask Cher first, but she is to busy. . . With Obi."

"By not thinking about it." He finally answered after a while. "At least. . . The fewest possible."

"As little as possible." Xani corrected.

"By for example staying busy, correcting other peoples sentences. . ."

"But, don't those you kill, haunt you?"

"Sometimes, but only those you look in the eye when you kill them. Well, for me anyway. Only when everything is quiet and there is nothing nearby to divert my attention, then my mind tends to wander towards the dead. Mostly towards those I knew myself." He took his time to formulate correct sentences.

"You have lost loved ones?" She straightened up a bit and wiped the tear away.

"Well, loved ones. . . If you include friends, all except two. And both of those might be dead by now." Memories of Nielak flashed through his memory. _Agh, what are the chances?_ "Hmm, no, just one might still be alive." He put up a fake smile, but he felt just like Xani was feeling, horrible.

"That. . . I'm sorry for bringing it up."

"Nah, you get used to. . . No, now I am lying. You never get used to it." He looked her in the eye for a moment and then said meaningfully, "Well, I might be able to add one to the survivor count." He smiled for a moment and looked away again. "If it isn't to much to ask, how did it happen?" He pointed at the bloodied sword.

"I. . ." A new tear popped up. "I was tending to the wounded. And he had gone around the fighting and had headed straight for the wounded. There was nobody else around capable of fighting and. . . Well, I froze. I didn't know what to do. I tried to. . . But he backhanded me out of the way and went on, towards the wounded. I. . . I couldn't save him. He was helpless against that centaur. . . I managed to get back up and I attacked the centaur. I cut him, from behind, on the shoulder. But it was small, and only angered him. Again he backhanded me." Only now did Talgrun actually notices the bruises on Xani's already naturally purple face. "But he attacked me this time. I fell. . . He charged. For the rest, I don't. . . remember anything else then hearing my sword slice through his guts and then. . . The blood all over my hands." More tears came and she dropped the sword from her trembling hands. "I let that defenceless man die!"

Talgrun didn't say anything. Dealing with this sort of thing was not his specialty. Almost all of the orcs he had fought with, had been veterans of at least one battle. He picked up the sword and cleaned it up with a piece of his own leather shirt. For a moment he played with the thought of use the sword for escaping, but there were still other elves close-by, with bows. _Besides, Obi is one thing, but Xani? Could I hurt Xani to escape? _Most of the blood was gone after the first wipe. It took him some time to clean it completely, since his own clothing was covered in blood for the most part as well. "Look." He held the sword in front of her and she pulled her head up from her hands. "It is clean."

She took it, looked at it for a moment, sighed heavily and then sheathed it. She gave him a thanking look and then asked, "How did you deal with your first kill?"

"Don't remember." He answered without needing a single moment to think. He did remember, but he just didn't want to say anything about it. She already looked suspicious, but he wasn't going to tell her how he had actually been looking forward to his first kill. In his youth the horde hadn't been much different from what the Warsong was now, as far as Talgrun could gather from anybody he talked to. Back then, fighting was something you wanted, loved as a grunt, not something you did without as much as possible. Still he could feel the rage he had felt back then, how relieved he had felt when the actual kill had taken place. _Young, foolish, indoctrinated._

"Alright. Thanks, for listening." She stood up, looking a lot more relieved. "I am going to get us some food." She said, looking at the sky, which was growing red in the distance. She walked of, leaving Talgrun in growing darkness. The tree that the rope was attached to was almost at the edge of the night-elven camp. He noticed that other elves were still always watching him. But something else also seemed to be watching him from outside the camp. Every time he looked in it's direction, it wasn't there. But in a nearby crops of stubbornly surviving trees seemed to hide something, watching. The crops of trees was far to small to harbour anything that could be a threat, so he didn't give it anymore attention.

When Xani returned with food, it was business as usual. Conversations like those they had before, but there was always that day's battle in the background. When the sun had finally sunk beneath the horizon, a grand fire was lit. All the centaur corpses caught on fire in one large bonfire. The fire was placed in such a location that trees shielded most of the light from anyone who might see it otherwise. The dead elves were each given their own ceremony, but also those that had died before, when they were on the run from the demons and in the battle at the Warsong settlement, were honoured.

Still, there was something stirring among the trees not far away.


	12. Chapter 10: Chaos Incarnate

**Warning!** This chapter is the very reason why I decided to put an 'M' in the rating section. Or at least one of those chapters. Donkey, thank you for the review. And Uruquiel, Thrall's forces will be included in due time.

* * *

**Chapter 10: Chaos Incarnate**

"Come on, I have got something to show you!" Nielak called to him enthusiastically. Talgrun looked up, confused, at his best friend. Nielak ran of towards a high hill. It was a Barrens sort of terrain, but Talgrun had never seen this part before.

"Nielak! Wait! What is going on?!" He shouted, while running up the same hill. He reached the top and put one hand on Nielak's left shoulder and turned him around. "What is going on?! Where is this?" He looked at Nielak and saw the red skin and murderous red glowing eyes burning bright in excitement. With horror he noticed his own skin was the same. The both of them, he saw, were wearing a standard grunt's outfit. "What. . . What is THIS!" He shouted. Rage build inside him from the pit of his stomach. Suddenly, without warning, it demanded to be let out. He roared until his voice would no longer, and then he tried again and again, until the rage was gone. When he did finally stop roaring, the rage hadn't left yet. It remained in the pit of his stomach, waiting to be unleashed.

"Look." Nielak said. With a wide motion, Nielak gestured at what was happening at the bottom of the hill. A massive battle was going on right underneath them. Red, chaotic, orcs were fighting every manner of intelligent life-form. Demons marched among the chaos orcs, giving orders and flinging spells this way and that. "This is what we are!" Nielak shouted enthusiastically. "Come on!" Nielak ran down the hill towards the battle and Talgrun felt compelled to do the same.

They both arrived at the bottom, but with the next step Talgrun took, the scene changed. It changed from a massive chaotic battle to a smaller scale skirmish in which the orcs behaved like true barbarians. Not just killing to survive, but because they enjoyed it. He slowed his pace and took another step. Again the scene changed. This time to a small human settlement being attacked by orcs. The orcs killed, murdered, pillaged, burned, raped and exterminated every single living human being in the settlement. Soldiers, men with no weapons, women just the same and children. Burning husks of building were left behind when the raiding party left. Skeletons and bodies ravaged to death were piled on top one another in the streets. Some were put on stakes, others fully dismembered just for the fun of it. Streets had run red with blood. Intestines, organs, limbs and separated pieces of flesh littered the streets.

He took more steps, and every single one the same thing happened, but in different locations and with the victims being every race possible.

Killing, pillaging, raping, murdering, exterminating and burning.

Killing, pillaging, raping, murdering, exterminating and burning.

Killing, pillaging, raping, murdering, exterminating and burning.

He stopped and watched a large city get subjected to the same. As strange as it seemed to him, it was a city composed of every race he knew, living in harmony. But even the fortress-like city could not withstand the assault from endless legions of bloodthirsty, raging, orcs, backed up by demons.

"Come on, let's dig in!" Nielak called to him. Nielak didn't wait for him and ran of into the suddenly much closer fray.

Talgrun nearly fell over from a small and local earthquake shaking the ground he stood on. At the same time he heard a loud thundering noise behind him. Slowly he turned around and looked up at a massive demon. The beast had wings, stood far taller than him and wore massive looking armour. Green fire emanated from every opening in the demon's skull.

The fire spewed outwards as it spoke. "GO! Do not stand around! Do as the masters have commanded!" It spoke in a low thundering voice.

He did as it had ordered and stepped towards the battle, slowly going into a full charge. More and more he felt eager to go into battle. He plunged his axe into the back of an unsuspecting human, the armour the human footmen were so known to wear buckling as if it were nothing. But he couldn't stop at just killing the human, he needed to hack at the body until it seemed that all the blood that had been inside the human was now on himself. Rage build inside him until he no longer cared about what he was doing was humane or not. He began doing the same things like the rest of them. Killing, pillaging, raping, murdering, exterminating and burning.

They broke the city's walls easily. Inside it's walls massive pillaging ensued. All of them killed, pillaged, raped, murdered, exterminated and burned. The way he raged around the battlefield was the stuff of legends if he had been the only one, but all of them raged the same way. They all went on and on, but then he found a familiar face in front of him. "Talgrun!" She screamed at him. He looked at Xani for a moment, but then attacked as if she was just another victim. "Talgrun, STOP!" She screamed. This time it pierced through the thick haze of rage over his mind. He faltered in his attempts to harm her. She shot forward and stabbed him in the chest with a short dagger that had appeared out of nowhere. Thick dark blood pumped out through the hole. "Talgrun!" She shouted again, which didn't make any sense to his faltering mind, because she sounded worried.

* * *

He shot upward and then fell down again. Opening his eyes he stared up at Xani's face. Only moments ago she had looked the exact same way. "Talgrun are you alright?!" She shouted. He looked around disoriented. His arms wouldn't move, neither would his legs. They were being held down, two elves per limb. Xani held her knees on his upper right arm to be able to keep that arm down and lean over him.

"What? Where am I?" He asked.

"Calm down, Talgrun. You're here, where you were when you fell asleep." _A dream, it was a dream! Thank you thank you thank you! _"So, are you alright?" He sighed deeply in relief that it had been a dream and nodded. The elves got of his limbs and he sat up, rubbing his arms where the elves had been leaning on them. Xani signalled that he was alright again and most of the elves left again. Only Xani, Kaylin, Chereesa, Obi and a few other soldiers that still seemed nervous every time they looked at him remained. "_What_ was that?" Xani asked after most of those other soldiers had left as well.

"What happened?" He asked.

"That is what she is asking you!" Obi burst.

"I mean, what did you see?" He noticed that the skin around his wrists was bruised and looked like a rope had been pulled tightly across them. He also noticed the absence of that rope that should still be around them.

"You started screaming something we couldn't understand and were moving uncontrollably. You ripped the rope right of your wrists and we needed eight people to keep you on the ground. Even then, some were thrown of." Kaylin answered.

"I. . . I had a dream, but unlike any I have had before." It wasn't entirely true. He had had that kind of dreams before, but not with the screaming and moving. And they certainly weren't this intense.

"It was unlike any of us had seen before as well, from anyone." Xani said. "I was kind of worried."

"OW!" Obi turned around, shook his head and walked of.

"So, never had that before?" Kaylin asked.

"No, never."

"Hmm." Kaylin paced a bit in thought. "Tie him back up. Two ropes." Two soldiers did just that and then Kaylin left, with the rest of the soldiers in tow, leaving only Xani and Chereesa.

"I'd say that was a nightmare, not a dream." Chereesa said.

Talgrun wiped the sweat pouring of his forehead away. "It was." He could still see the horrors and trying to push them away didn't help. "It reminded me of a time long ago, but what I saw was even worse than what happened back then. I can still see it, feel it."

"Then what did you see?" Chereesa inquired.

He didn't answer for a few moments, unsure whether he should say it at all. "Red, chaos orcs. destroying and pillaging every race I have ever heard of, while led by demons." Xani and Chereesa leaned towards one another and whispered a few sentences to each other. Talgrun in the mean time kept trying to clear the images away, but they kept flashing before his eyes.

"Could it be that he to is being affected by what ever changed his old clan?" Chereesa asked, whispering, of Xani.

"Could be. But he hasn't been among them for almost a month, and he wasn't there when the clan actually changed. So I don't think it is just some delayed response. Only thing I can think of is that something happened while he was asleep that was so disastrous that even he could feel it. Probably something including. . . Demons." Only now she fully saw what that meant.

"Demons?!" Chereesa asked fearfully. "If there are demons on this world leading forces of orcs, or just fighting, then this could be another invasion of the Burning Legion." Chereesa concluded.

"I hope it isn't." An intense blue glow suddenly demanded their attention. Both of them turned towards the glow's source and were nearly blinded by the intense blue light emanating from the small crystal Talgrun was holding in his left hand. "Talgrun! Why is it doing that?!" Xani shouted.

He had only taken the crystal out for a few seconds, so it might help him concentrate on something as it had done before, but already some spots were temporarily burned in their eyes. He put it away quickly, with a confused look on his face. "Don't know." He looked to Xani as if he were hoping she had an answer, she was after all a priest. But she couldn't think of a reason.

"Wait a minute. . ." Chereesa started, her face changed to that of someone who had just thought of something brilliant, but moments later it went to fearful.

"What?" Xani asked.

"Well, if I understand correctly from what you told me, that crystal helps calming Talgrun down, right?" Talgrun nodded that it indeed did that. "So maybe it is doing that right now, and it glows so brightly because it has to put a lot of energy into keeping Talgrun calm."

"I am not feeling very calm. I keep having the desire to kill something."

"And this is unusual?" Chereesa blurted out before she could stop herself.

"Cher!" Xani warned.

"Yes!" Talgrun retorted aggressively with more anger than Xani had ever heard of him, even when demons had been the subject of the conversation. He was clearly using every bit of self control to not try to lash out at Chereesa, only barely succeeding. "You told her about the crystal's purpose?!" Talgrun continued, lashing out verbally at Xani.

"I wasn't supposed to?" Xani asked, recoiling a bit from the venomous tone Talgrun was using.

"No!" Talgrun answered without a moments thought.

"Why?" Xani responded with a question instantly.

Talgrun paused a few moments, looked at the Chereesa with suspicion for a moment and then explained. "I don't want to be seen as someone who needs anything to keep himself under control."

"Sorry." Chereesa said quickly, to calm things down, not convincing Talgrun of the sincerity of that apology. "Anyway, the 'influence' that gave you this dream, is not gone yet."

Talgrun face changed from anger to understanding. "I see. Not good." Talgrun added dryly.

* * *

The night before.

"So, still no name for the new child?" Warlord Firetusk inquired.

"No, and as I said before there is still plenty of time to think of one. Jirina and I are both in agreement that we shouldn't be searching for a suitable name. We believe a name we come to us in time. While one us is doing something entirely different than thinking of names, the perfect name might just pop into mind for no reason at all. Well, that's what we think."

"Alright, I think something is popping into my head. . ." Gralger said, putting his index fingers to the sides of his head. "Ah yes! The name is. . ." He said, eyes opening wide instantly, but he was not able to finish his sentence. Gralger was looking at something behind Nielak. His face went from kind to serious within moments. "What is the meaning of this? Speak up!" Gralger ordered with bellowing voice, so different from the voice he had been using when still making friendly conversation.

Nielak twisted his neck so he could see who it was that was standing behind him. There was a duo of orcs wearing scouts insignias and a low ranking officer standing behind him. All three of them panting and having eager looks on their faces as well. So these two must have brought some exciting news back. So exciting that the officer to whom these scouts reported that news decided to go directly to the Warlord. This made Nielak a bit curious as well, but he was also a bit worried by the eager looks on their faces.

"Warlord, these scouts have returned with important news. Well, tell him what you told me!" The officer ordered to the duo of scouts.

One of the scouts stepped forward, made a slight bow in recognition of the Warlord's rank, and started explaining what area they had been ordered to scout. "Alright. We were ordered to scout the border between The Barrens and Ashenvale, to the southwest of the settlement. So first we went south towards The Barrens and then we scouted towards the west so we could cover as much of the border as possible."

"I don't need to hear all this! Is this going anywhere?" Gralger cut in.

"Almost there." The scout apologised quickly. "We came upon a large clearing just at the edge of The Barrens with an unusually high amount of trees around the edges."

"I know what clearing you are talking about. It was one possible location to build the settlement, but it was dropped because there was no water supply near enough." Gralger said.

"Yes, that one." The scout affirmed. "But it wasn't an empty clearing anymore. . ." The scouts grin widened considerably. "there is a large human lumber camp now." Nielak's mouth almost fell open in surprise. _A human camp, only a few hours walk away from the settlement?_

Gralger stood up instantly, shoving the chair he had been sitting backwards against the knees of another officer standing behind him. "What!?! A human outpost!! So close to the settlement!?!" The scout nodded, a bit fearful now. "How large is the contingent guarding it?!"

"The soldier force is about five hundred strong. The workforce maybe two to three times as large." The scouts eyes flared in eagerness to accompany a raiding force to assault the camp.

"And how long did you take to get back here after you found the human camp?" Gralger asked, a bit calmer now.

"Only three hours. With wolves." The scout answered, also adding they had been riding the wolves the orcs favoured, just like the wolfriders of old.

"Good." Gralger turned to amassed officers that had gathered around them. "We have ourselves an enemy to contend with, only three ours riding from here!! We will immediately gather a force of two thousand riders to ride out and wipe that outpost clean of the map!" Cheering from the gathered officers followed. "We cannot allow them to have an outpost this close to our settlement! It must be destroyed as soon as possible!!" Gralger shouted, encouraging more cheering. He leaned down towards Nielak and said, "Go to Grom and fill him in on what's happening, I am sure he'll agree with my actions."

"Will do, Warlord!" Nielak answered. He got of his chair and climbed the stairs to Grom's chambers. A new door had been put in place because Grom had been annoyed by the amount of sound that still reached him, but this way he wouldn't even have heard there was a commotion. He went through the door and came upon a second, smaller door to the room Grom used when in conference with Mannoroth or one of Mannoroth's underlings. He knocked respectfully on the door.

"Is it important?!" Sounded the gruff voice of the chieftain. This door did not stop sound, it had more of a symbolic reason for being there.

"Two scouts have returned with important news." Nielak answered.

"Can it wait, Nielak? I am quite busy at the moment."

"It can't. Warlord Firetusk is already taking actions based on the scouts report."

"Alright, come in." Nielak opened the door with a small key that was given to all honour guards and the highest ranking officers. He stepped through and closed the door behind him again. He turned around after locking the door again and found himself staring at the face of a doomguard bending forward so it's head would be at same level as Nielak's, causing Nielak to recoil instinctively. "Let him pass!" Grom ordered from behind the doomguard. The doomguard stepped aside so Nielak could walk towards the chieftain. "What was it that is so urgent? I was talking to Mannoroth's underling here." Grom pointed at the demon standing just beside one of the walls of the chamber.

"Lieutenant, one of Mannoroth's lieutenants." This new demon corrected. It was a demon Nielak had never seen before. It looked like an oversized human with fangs, wings, hoofs, long curled horns and large claws on it's hands. It wore thick ornate plating for armour as well, although there was no weapon in sight that could belong to this new demon.

"That still means underling, Dreadlord." Grom responded after which he looked towards Nielak. "So? What was so important?" He told Grom what the scouts had told Gralger before. "Humans!?! For a moment I thought the Firetusk was taking rash decisions again, but this time he completely right."

"If I may?" The dreadlord started, seemingly very civilized for a demon. "This would be a good opportunity to test what we have just been talking about, chieftain Hellscream."

"Putting doomguard in leading positions? In this raid?" The dreadlord nodded. _He will never agree to that!_ Nielak thought. "Yes! That is a great idea! It cant go wrong, not against those numbers of humans." _What?!! _Nielak thought furiously. He was barely able to not let it show. "Choose a small number of those doomguard and have them join with the force Warlord Firetusk is gathering."

"I shall do as you have recommended." The dreadlord said and in a flash of green energy the demon had teleported itself away.

"Nielak, return to the Warlord and let him know what we have just decided. The Warlord will be to lead the raid in person. I will stay and deal with other matters." The chieftain grinned. "Oh, and let me know how much the humans squealed when you get back. Yes, you go with him. Now move! And don't pay attention to the guard dog." Grom said the last while gesturing at the doomguard that had been staring right at Nielak when he had entered.

Nielak saluted and left the room, while not looking at the doomguard as Grom had told him. The Warlord was still organising his raiding party when Nielak got back to him. "What!?!" Gralger shouted at him when he told him what Grom had said. "Doomguard in leading positions!?!" Nielak only dared to nod. "And he expects me to cooperate with that!?! Argh! One of these days. . . Alright, since it's an order." Gralger eventually said, calmed down. Gralger ran a hand through his hair in thought for a moment and then said, "Alright, Nielak. You and Kel'kan over there will be my personal guards for this raid. Two should be enough for a raid on those pitiful humans."

Soon enough a raiding force consisting of two thousand orcs on wolf mounts and ten doomguard, each commanding a force of two hundred orcs, was ready to move out. It was approaching midnight when the raiding force finally rode out towards the southwest. They went at such a speed to arrive as soon as possible, but to not overtax the wolves. The doomguard kept up easily with their longer legs and using their wings to let them take larger bounds. As such, it took them only slightly longer than the scouts had said to reach the human outpost. They held position just on the other side of a hill covered with large Ashenvale trees, so the humans would not spot the raiding force while the Warlord went to the top of the hill on foot with only his personal guards to see the outpost for himself before he initiated the attack.

"The scouts seem to be right about the numbers of humans." The honour guard Kel'kan mentioned, eagerness to get into the battle clear on his face. Light from the outpost's torches revealed that the outpost was indeed the size the scouts had mentioned.

Nielak looked back at the raiding force at the mention of the two scouts. He saw the two of them among the raiding force, sitting on the same wolves they had used to scout this area only hours before. The two had been given a quick promotion from scout to grunt and had, for their efforts been given a place amongst the raiding force.

"They were correct indeed, but something troubles me. Warchief Thrall's forces are supposed to be in between the human forces and us, last I heard. How did they get past Thrall unnoticed?"

"Maybe they didn't, and Thrall is fighting of the humans' main force somewhere else." Nielak offered.

"Maybe. . ." Gralger mused. "We have to find out if we can. Maybe there is something down there, that can tell us a bit more about that. So keep your eyes open." He told both of the honour guards, but in the Warlord's eyes Nielak could read that he was mainly talking to Nielak. "Let's get back to the raiding force and initiate the attack."

"What about the guard tower?" Nielak asked, referring to the hastily build stone guard tower standing in the middle of the outpost. One thing Nielak had to admit about the humans is that they knew how to quickly build sturdy guard towers, although Nielak had heard that a lot of them were of partly dwarves design.

"A group of raiders will go into the tower and clear it, then set it ablaze." After those words, They went back down towards the raiding force. "Keep them quiet for as long as possible," Gralger told the doomguard in charge of the several groups of orcs. "We don't want to let them know we are coming to early." The doomguard nodded their agreement with the order and then went to the group of orcs they had each been assigned. Every single orc in the raiding force looked eager and ready to start the raid. Even Nielak was beginning to feel eager to destroy the human outpost. It didn't matter now if there were demons leading large groups of orcs, there was still a human outpost sitting a to short a distance away from the settlement.

Gralger lifted his hammer in the air and brought it back down, pointing in the direction of the human outpost, signifying the start of the raid. The force picked up speed and rode over the hill on which Nielak, Kel'kan and Gralger had been standing only a minute before. Still the doomguard managed to keep the orcs quiet, but the rage started to boil in the orc's veins, screaming to be released at any enemy. Nielak was no difference, but he remembered the order to find any clue he could regarding Thrall's forces. But being the Warlord's personal guard he would have to try to find those clues while staying close to Gralger.

There was only about two hundred feet to go before they reached the first night guards patrolling the edges of the outpost, when a horn blew from the top of the guard tower. A different horn blew, but still from the same tower. Every guardsman turned towards the raiding force coming from the northeast at the same time. They drew their swords, but instead of attempting to make a stand to slow the raiders down, they fled back towards the outpost. That foolish act alone cost the humans ten lives. The armoured footmen were trampled underneath the clawed paws of the wolves and the hoofs of the doomguard.

The barracks began disgorging soldiers. These soldiers did not flee, their leadership had also awaken to the raid in progress and had started giving orders. The human officers quickly organised a defence at the base of the guard tower, footmen up front and some dwarves sharpshooters behind. Nielak hated those sharpshooters. Although they were slow to reload, their guns could punch holes in almost any type of armour, except maybe thick plate armour. The sharpshooters might be best with their guns at range, but if an enemy came to close they would switch to the small axes dangling at their sides.

The footmen visibly trembled in fear as the raiding force approached them at top speed, but their officers proved to be capable of keeping them in check. Sharpshooters began releasing salvo's at the coming wave of orcs, not only from behind the footmen, but also from the top of the guard tower. Bullets impacted with armour all around Nielak, causing some to fall of their wolves, but none of them hit either him or the Warlord riding next to him.

Before the sharpshooters could get of another salvo, the orc raiders, now screaming challenges, had clashed with the footmen. Fighting while sitting on the back of a wolf was something Nielak had never done before, and he needed to adjust to it. He nearly lost his leg because of his inexperience when a footmen swung low at him, trying to hit the wolf he was riding. The wolf managed to instinctively dodge out of the way in time. Every time he tried to hit an opponent, the wolf had to dodge out of the way of something. _This is not going well, I am being dragged a long by this wolf!_ The next footman they approached, he jumped of the wolf and crashed into the footman's back, who had been looking in the other direction. He quickly rapped his arms around the human throat and squeezed until the human went limp. The wolf found itself free of it's charge and started attacking humans with it's claws as it saw fit without being hindered by a weight on it's back.

Nielak stood up, looking for the Warlord. It was difficult to find anyone in this utter chaos. Light was still almost none existent, making any shape look alike. It wasn't an organised battle either. There was no front line, only utter chaos. Although Nielak was able to see that the wolf had taken him all the way behind the whole battle.

"Well, I guess we should aid our new allies. . ." A voice mused from his right. _Allies?!_

He turned to it's source and saw there was an orc standing there, wearing the standard grunt outfit. "Allies?!" Nielak asked.

The orc turned to him and recoiled. The first thing Nielak noticed about the orc was that no red light burned in his eyes, as with his fellow Warsong orcs. "whoah! Your one of them! Get at them boys!"

Nielak looked around and saw there was a whole group of none-Warsong orcs standing around him. _Allies with humans? _he asked himself again. The group charged forward at the fray only a few feet away from them, but three of them accompanied the grunt whom had spoken in attacking Nielak. _Damn it! Now I have to fight my own race?_ One of the grunts launched forward and swung at Nielak. _Guess so. . . _He sidestepped and hit the grunt against the back of his head with the butt end of his axe, sending the orc to the ground. The other grunts attacked also, but he felt reluctant to actually hurt them. But every time one of them attacked, some that of that reluctant feeling was cut away. Instead rage started to build and build, until he no longer cared who he was fighting.

An idea to take out at least one of the grunts attacking him formed in his enraged mind. Another of the grunts attacked, giving Nielak the opportunity to execute his plan. He sidestepped, but instead of waiting for the next he charged the one that had attacked. The grunt didn't see it coming and could not get his axe up in time. Nielak jumped and landed knee first on the grunt's chest, sending the grunt to the ground with Nielak on top the grunt's chest. The leather armour the grunt was wearing on his torso did not help him against the weight of an orc wearing full plate-mail armour. Ribs cracked under not only Nielak's weight, but also the momentum Nielak had.

_Three to one now. that's a bit better._ The other grunt's quickly recovered from their surprise though and resumed their attacking. They didn't even change their strategy, to Nielak's surprise. _Weaklings! _He thought enraged. Rage still build inside him. Utilizing it's pure strength, he cut one of the grunt's axes in half and seconds later decapitated that same orc. "Weaklings!" He shouted at them this time. A red haze fell across his vision and he noticed he no longer took part in the battle, he was only a spectator in his own body now while the body continued to fight. Instinct took over and it gained momentum against these orcs. From what he could find in his almost intoxicated state, it was like when Warlord Firetusk had been challenged by a rebellious officer. The officer had lost himself in rage to. But the Warlord was a far more experienced warrior than these two. They were barely capable to fend of his attacks. Another of them fell, gut sliced open and intestines falling out. That left only one of them.

Something pierced through the thick haze of rage over his mind. A memory of a vow he made almost a month ago. A vow to not lose himself in the rage. He stood there, trying to shake of the rage. Slowly he regained control, slowly he regained control of his senses. Slowly he figured out it might have been a bad time to do this, there was still the fourth grunt left. Yet, the grunt hadn't attacked. Slowly Nielak turned around. To his right he found the last grunt trying to edge away from Nielak without being noticed. Fear was clear on the grunts face, almost igniting the rage once more. _Coward!_ He stepped forward towards the grunt, whom as a response stood his ground and raised his axe in a feeble defensive stance. Still Nielak walked closer. The grunt tried to attack, but Nielak just grabbed hold of axe by the handle and threw it away. His hand shot forward and closed itself around the grunt's throat.

The slightly larger grunt tried to pry his hand loose, but it wouldn't budge. It gave him enough time to notice where they were on the field of battle. The main battle still raged a few hundred feet away from them, although the humans were almost finished. There had never been a doubt that the Warsong raiders would be victorious. The guard tower had been set ablaze, casting some light on the whole scene of chaos and death. He looked back towards the grunt, who was still trying to pry his hand loose.

"We are going to have a little talk, now."

Nielak slacked his grip a bit, allowing the grunt to breath. "Okay. . ." The grunt gurgled.

"What was this about allies with humans?"

Nielak squeezed a bit harder to encourage the grunt to talk. "Alright! Warchief Thrall and the human leader, some female mage called Jaina, made an alliance. Something about bigger dangers in the world than each other! I guess they were right." The grunt looked intently at Nielak.

_Big mouth, no skill_. Nielak thought. "thank you for the information." He squeezed harder again until the grunt stopped moving entirely. He realized something suddenly. _Oh DAMN! Firetusk! _He had been so caught up with the four grunts that he forgot all about being supposed to protect him. He ran back to main battle, thankful for the guard tower that been set ablaze, because the light it shed on the ground below allowed Nielak to quickly find the Warlord.

When he got back to the 'battle' he saw the battle had been done a long time ago. What he assumed was fighting from a distance, was in fact the human workforce being slaughtered. The human workers were begging for the mercy they would never get. Some even tried begging in the few words of orcish they knew. It seemed that only a few, if any, of the humans had been able to get away. After a quick count Nielak saw that only one of the doomguard had fallen to human swords. The rest of them were busy practicing how to skin a human with magic, without touching the human, while the human was still alive. Humans were tortured in any way Nielak thought possible, for no reason at all except 'fun'. Every barracks in the outpost had been set alight and from the screams it seemed some humans had been trapped within them. Everywhere orcs were looting anything they could.

Nielak swallowed hard. _I hope I never have see this again. _He felt uncomfortable when he came near any of the orcs. As if they radiated an intense rage. He moved on towards Gralger, whom seemed equally troubled as Nielak. "Ah, Nielak! For a moment I thought you had been killed." The Warlord said relieved.

"In a way, nearly."

"Did you read that little scroll you were given?" Gralger asked more seriously. "I believe it says your supposed to stay close to me and at least attempt to protect me."

"I believe I have some information regarding what you asked me to do."

"I saw Thrall's orcs here as well."

"I managed to question one."

Gralger leaned closer. "I am listening. None of those orcs I saw survived long enough for interrogation."

"It seems Warchief Thrall and the human leader Jaina have made an alliance. To combat greater threats in the world more easily."

"Ah! Greater threats. . . I believe that means us and the demons. So we are a 'greater threat' now."

Silence reigned between them for a while. "Where is the other honour guard, Kel'kan?"

"He's out there somewhere. Looting and having 'fun'" Both of them stared a long while at the pillaging happening in front of them. Eventually the orcs and demons ran out of subjects to torture and they calmed down. "I think it is about time we packed up and moved back to the settlement. I'll leave a small group here to report if and when the humans come back." The Warlord mounted back up and set out to deliver those orders.

Nielak walked around the field of carnage in search of a wolf to ride back to the settlement. It didn't take him long to find one. Or was it the other way around? The wolf he had used to ride to the human outpost in the first place came back to him. _I might get used to these wolves after all. _Nielak thought as climbed back on the giant wolf. He patted the creature on the neck in thanks that he didn't have to walk all the way back to the settlement.

For the last time he looked across the field of carnage. The smell of death and magically accelerated decay hung heavily across the whole field. The sun came up casting a red light across the field. _Humans and orcs, working together. How unbelievable that may seem, it can't be worse that this._

* * *

"There were orcs working with the humans?!" Jirina asked unbelievingly. It hadn't taken the Warlord long at all to bring the raiding force back to the settlement.

"Yup."

"Working _with_ the humans, not against them?" She asked again to be sure.

"Yup, well, with. . . They were some of the most pathetic warriors I have ever fought, met or seen. Even the humans fought better than them"

"If you say it like that, it seems they were only there because Thrall did not want to put any of his _actual _warriors at risk on a human base."

Nielak frowned in thought. "Now that I think of it. . . You might be right about that." After Nielak took of his shoulder armour he sat down at the small table in the centre of the central of their home. "Did you notice how noisy the whole settlement was this morning?" He started at a casual tone, after a bite of bread. "I came out of the stronghold after giving a description of the raid to Grom and the whole settlement seemed so. . . Busy. More than usual." He continued chewing on pieces of bread while Jirina sat down heavily on a chair across from him. He stopped chewing and swallowed, fearing he had said something offensive. "What? What's wrong?" He asked worried.

"Adonai. . . Could you come in here?" Jirina said after a few moments of silence in which neither of them moved.

"I don't want to." Adonai's voice came from the room where all of Nielak's children slept.

"You come out here right NOW! And bring your sisters out as well!" Jirina shouted angrily.

While a lot of shuffling and whispering noises came from the children's room, Nielak said to Jirina, "You don't have to shout at them. . ."

"Else they wont come out." Jirina quickly retorted.

"Sure they will." he turned to the opening that lead to the room where an increasing amount of whispering came from. "Come on out kids. Or else I'll just come in there." He said kindly.

"Alright." Adonai finally said reluctantly. The three children came out and lined up in front of Nielak.

"What? How? When?!" Nielak asked baffled as he looked at the three red bodies of his children, their eyes burning bright with the red fire that burned in his as well. He had tucked his two girls in the night before, and they had been as green as they had always been. "How did this happen?!!" He bellowed, finally angered with what had happened. The three children cowed in fear and seemed to shrink right in front of him. "Oh, no no no. I am not angry with you, but with what caused this!"

"The night before they were still alright. But early in the morning I woke to their screams. No just their screams either, but every child around was crying. I found them moving wildly in their room and screaming and crying. I managed to wake them by throwing some water in their faces, but they were still trembling in fear. . ." Jirina explained.

"Fear?" Nielak asked. "Did all three of them have a nightmare at the same time?"

"As I said, not just our children. Every child."

Baffled, Nielak stood up from his chair and walked outside. There were a lot of people busy outside, walking from one place to the other or just doing the daily jobs. He approached a woman and said, "I know you." Surprised, she looked up, fire burning brightly in her eyes. "You have kids, right?"

"Ah yes! The children, they are doing great. Have yours been blessed with the demon's touch as well?" The woman responded.

"Yeah, they have." Nielak said, hoping he sounded elated.

"These are great times, are they not?"

"They are. . ." Nielak answered distracted, not meaning what he said. He looked back into his son's burning eyes, who was leaning out of the door to their home. "Great. . . Times. . ."

* * *

"So why can't he be questioned now?" Kaylin demanded. "I have been waiting almost a month so he could properly learn our language, and now you're saying I can't question him?" 

"Your questioning methods are bound to make him angry." Xani answered.

"Only if he doesn't cooperate. And so what if does become angry?"

"For some reason something is influencing him since that incident this morning and the only thing that is keeping him calm is. . ." _That crystal_. She finished in her thoughts without saying it.

"What? What is keeping him calm? You're being awfully protective of him today, priestess Xani." Kaylin said, reminding Xani that Kaylin was her superior officer.

". . .His self-control." She finished. "But only barely. An he if does loose that control it could be like this morning again."

"I'll take my chances. Besides he has two ropes around his wrists now." Xani wanted to protest again, but Kaylin was ahead of her. "And I'll be sure to no overstep any boundaries." Without further words, Kaylin turned around and marched towards Talgrun. To Xani's horror, Obi was already there, having some heated discussion with Talgrun.

"For the LAST time. . ." Talgrun shouted at Obi, but he didn't finish. He had noticed Kaylin coming closer. Xani could see Talgrun was having a great deal of trouble keeping calm.

"What? I don't hear you? Something wrong with your voice?" Obi asked with an annoying tone.

"Soldier!" Kaylin bellowed, causing Obi to shoot upward and turn on his heels. Quickly he saluted. "Did I give permission for any type of conversation with the prisoner to you?! I think not. Now get out of the way!" She stepped closer to Talgrun, only one or two steps outside of Talgrun's reach, including the ropes around his wrists. "So, are you ready to answer a few questions?" Kaylin asked as sternly as ever.

"Oh, now you are going to get it. . ." Obi started.

"SOLDIER! I will call for you if I need you!" She turned back to Talgrun. "So, are you ready?"

Talgrun had visibly enjoyed seeing Obi get put in his place by Kaylin. He stroked the growing beard he had grown in the last month a few times before answering. "You may ask your questions, but on one condition."

"You are in no place to make demands." Kaylin quickly said.

"It wont cost you much."

"What than?"

"Something to shave this beard away with." He answered. "It is becoming nuisance."

"But it covers up part of you face perfectly." Obi started again.

"Soldier, if you can't control yourself, please go away. On second thought, get the prisoner something to shave with, I am sure you use something to keep that face of yours clean-shaven. And bring someone with a bow, so the prisoner can be shot immediately if he tries anything with that sharp object."

Obi walked away annoyed and a few minutes later returned with a small dagger, razors were few and far between after they had been on the run for the time they had been, and he had also brought Chereesa with him. Chereesa readied an arrow when the small dagger was handed over to Talgrun. "What? No water?" Talgrun asked. "Oh well. You may ask a question." He said finally.

"First of all, let me make it clear that I want the truth. I have noticed on many occasions that I can tell whether someone is lying. Believe me when I say that I can make things very uncomfortable if you lie, even with the few resources I have at my disposal here." Kaylin said, while Talgrun started cutting away big bits of facial hair.

"I believe you if you say so."

"No you don't. Xani, tell him what you were probably told about me when you were told by your priestly leaders that you were going to be transferred to my command."

Xani thought back to that time and remembered when she had been called to the high-priestess chambers. "I was told that 'commander Kaylin is a veteran of thousands of years whom has risen through the ranks from low ranking soldier to commander and had not, as many of royal birth, started at an officer rank. Commander Kaylin is also said to be sometimes to thorough in her interrogation techniques' That is pretty much what I was told."

"Was that literally what they told you?" Chereesa asked.

"I might be of with a few words, but pretty much."

"Enough!" Kaylin shouted at the two of them. "Proof enough?"

"It will do. . ."

"Let's start with a few simple things." Kaylin started asking about how many orcs there were, and what sort of leadership they had. For the most part she stayed away from any military subjects. Xani imagined that might be partly because Talgrun had been away from any orcs for almost a month. Many things could have happened that would render Talgrun's answers false. Overall Talgrun could only, or only wanted to, tell Kaylin about the Warsong clan. In the end, when it was already approaching the evening, Kaylin had found out only a little more than what Xani had learned through the endless conversations she had had with Talgrun. Talgrun had been quite accommodating when it came to social structuring in the horde and different relations with other races. About military matters he wouldn't say a lot, the furthest Kaylin got was about how many warriors the orcish armies counted, but had also said that those numbers were most likely wrong since many things could have happened in the month that he had been away.

When Kaylin left again, Xani said, "Aren't you a traitor to your people by telling her all this?"

"A traitor? Hardly. I barely told her anything about the military that I haven't already told you before, which isn't much. All the things I told her about cultural stuff would only benefit you people if they tried to make some diplomatic relations with my people, which would be a benefit to my people as well."

"So true."

"Besides I have probably found out more about you night-elves by just being here, than you have found out about my people through me."

"But you're probably not getting back to your people to tell them about it any time soon."

"There is that." He stroked his chin. After having been shaving for the better part of the afternoon the only thing that remained was a stubbly beard.

Chereesa brought some food for the four of them, including Obi, whom was clearly not happy to be there, but was probably forced by Chereesa. He been sitting next to Chereesa the whole time while Kaylin was interrogating him. _There is something brewing between those two. _He thought as he saw those two sitting close to one another. It made him remember a time long ago when Ri'no had still been alive. The two of them had been sitting next to each other like that in the beginning as well.

The food was done quickly and after a while Chereesa and Obi both left to where they normally slept. "I want to show you something." Xani said.

"What?" Talgrun asked curiously.

"Just wait a sec." Xani rummaged through the bag in which she kept all the drawings she had made. "Here." She handed him a piece of parchment.

He looked at it and recognised the drawing. "Is that. . . Me?" He asked as looked the figure which was sitting on a large rock. "I mean, how many are there around here with tusks?"

"It is." Xani said shyly.

"When did you make this? I don't remember you drawing me."

This afternoon actually, you were to busy with Kaylin. See? There is no beard." She pointed at the Talgrun's face in the drawing.

"It is really nice. But why?"

Xani chuckled a bit. "Not many people can sit still like that for very long. Except maybe Kaylin, but I have already got a few pictures of her." He wanted to hand the picture back to her, but she stopped him. "Keep it."

He put in the same bag as his crystal and said, "Thanks. It is a really nice drawing. Are you an artist or something?"

"Was going to be, but then some priestly talents got in the way."

Not long after that the whole camp was quiet and only the two night watch guards were awake, besides him. He hated it when everything was quiet, it reminded him of an almost eight month long period in which he had been completely alone with only his own mind as company. It was the period after he had been wounded during the Bleeding Hollow clan's exodus to Dreanor. In such a long time of loneliness the mind can begin playing tricks on you. Even now, when everything is quiet, he sometimes heard noises that weren't actually there.

Somewhat like what he heard now. He thought it was a hoof coming down on a rock and a branch breaking underneath something. In the corner of his eye he saw something move. _Uhm, maybe not an illusion? _He turned his head toward it's source. He definitely saw something move, normally if looked at something he had seen in the corner of his eye, it disappeared. _The same thing as two days ago in that bunch of trees? Uhm, things? _There were now two large figures moving closer to him. One larger than the other, but they were to large to be centaur, so that took away one worry. He lost sight of the largest while the smaller one crouched down to avoid being spotted by the passing night watch guard. The night-elf's superior vision apparently didn't pick anything for the watchman just moved on. He crawled toward a fallen tree log while keeping the smaller figure in his view, he didn't want to lose sight of this one as well. He peeked over the log and stared right into the face of the larger figure of which he had lost sight. The figured had lain down on it's stomach and had crawled towards Talgrun. Complete surprise gave the figure enough time to put a three fingered hand across Talgrun's mouth.

"Be quiet!" The figure whispered in orcish. Slowly Talgrun recognised the shape. The bull like face and the immense muscles that put an orc's muscles to shame. The long horns jutting from the side of it's head, actually just one long horn, one had been snapped or cut of at the halfway point. The fur covering every inch of it's body. The forward hunched stance. The hooves. _A tauren!_ A very large male tauren at that. _What on Dreanor is a tauren doing here?!_ The second smaller figure came towards them. This one was also a tauren, but a female one, and much smaller than the average female tauren. "Do you want to escape?" The male tauren asked.


	13. Chapter 11: Tauren Saviours

And a new chapter has arrived! Sorry it took so long, but there were a few things that had a higher priority. Thanks for the reviews by the way, I appreciate it very much.

* * *

**Chapter 11: Tauren Saviours **

"Do you want to escape?" The gigantic male tauren asked.

If the tauren had asked it the day before, he might have said no. But he didn't want to find out what Kaylin would do to get any further information out of him. "Yeah." He answered. "Gladly."

"Alright then. Let's get these ropes of your wrists." from the tauren's back the tauren pulled a massive warhammer with large spikes on the butt end of the handle and the top of the massive obsidian block that was the head of the hammer. On close inspection Talgrun saw that the large piece of metal that connected the head of the hammer with the handle also had six spikes on it, three pointing forward and three back. The tauren raked one of these spikes across the ropes and they easily came loose. "Let's get out now then, before the guard comes around again.

"Let's do tha. . . Wait." He looked at Xani. "Uhm, could you make it look like she didn't let me go? They might think that if I am suddenly gone."

"And you care?" The tauren asked surprised.

"I do. Long story"

The male tauren looked towards the approaching watchman. "I can put her in such a deep sleep that it will make it seem that she could not possibly be responsible." The female tauren whispered.

"Please do." Talgrun said, asking about the nature of that magic could be done later.

The smaller tauren crawled over to the sleeping form of Xani. The tauren held a hand above Xani's head, but in the dark he couldn't quite see what she was doing. underneath the cloak Xani used as a blanket she moved as if every muscle in her body relaxed. "Done." The female retracted her hand.

"That was it?" Talgrun whispered.

"Do you want flashy lights or something? It'll keep her asleep for a day or two if somebody else doesn't wake her up."

"We need to go, now!" The male tauren whispered urgently. The tauren didn't wait for a response and started to crawl away. The female didn't waste any time either and followed.

Talgrun wanted to follow as well, but at the same time he wanted to at least look back at Xani. For the moment the second won out and he looked back. _No, no, no! I am not having second thoughts about this! Who knows what Kaylin will do to get any real information?_ Talgrun reminded himself. Still, he could not quite spur his own body to crawl away. Instead, he crawled closer. _No no no no! The guard is approaching! No time for this. _He told himself desperately, but he didn't listen. He now leaned over Xani's sleeping form. With one hand he placed a bundle of hair differently and he said, "I am sorry." _Sorry if you get into trouble because I escaped. _Now he suddenly felt much more able to move as he wanted to. Without anymore second thoughts he crawled away. He managed to get out without the guard seeing him.

"What took you so long?!" The larger tauren inquired, not without a bit of anger that Talgrun hadn't immediately made his way out.

"A few complications." He answered simply.

They continued to keep low until the night-elven camp was out of sight, which meant for the larger tauren that he practically had to keep crawling along on his stomach. When they were confident that they wouldn't be spotted by any elves, they stood up and walked on in easterly direction. Still they kept quiet for quite some time, not knowing if there may be anything else that might think of them as enemies.

"Where are we going?" Talgrun inquired after they had been walking for over an hour.

"We are headed east, eventually we will come upon an outpost." Was the reply the smaller, female tauren gave him.

Things continued to stay quiet until the sun had risen above the horizon again. The landscape was completely flat and as such they could see they were the only living beings in this patch of The Barrens, except the small wildlife that crawled from shadow to shadow.

Now that the sun had risen he could see more details of his tauren saviours. Of course, the one thing that obviously set them both apart was, besides the fact that the female had a much straighter stance, that one of them was extremely large, even by tauren standards, and the other was relatively small for a tauren. Talgrun was quite a bit taller than the female tauren, although he was very large for an orc just as the male tauren was very large for his race. The male was completely covered in black fur, there even dangled a long tail of woven black hair from the tauren's chin, where as the female had colours that ranged from light grey to light brown. The male had a massive pair of horns that jutted to the side, at least they had been massive, one was cut of halfway. The female had a shorter pair pointing more forward. Talgrun could now also see the true dimensions of the massive hammer the tauren dragged along. No orc would ever consider using such a hammer for a weapon, not even one who had his strength magically enhanced. The female just had a small axe dangling on a leather belt she wore.

As far as armour went, they seemed to be typical tauren, not wearing that much at all. The female had a leather vest and leather pants but that was it. The male however only wore a harness across the chest necessary for keeping the pieces of armour the tauren wore on his shoulder in place. Those shoulder were not to different from what orcish grunts, except that they were black and had gold-coloured, upturned edges.

Food emerged from the satchel the larger tauren was carrying. Talgrun had suggested they sit down to eat. "Won't they come after you?" The female asked in protest.

"Nah, probably not. They can't risk being spotted by any patrols, orc or centaur." Talgrun felt good being able to communicate in his own language again, although it felt a bit strange after having spoken the much softer toned elven language for almost a month. "So, you taurens have names?" He asked.

"Ah yes, of course!" The female answered happily. "Ysondra Windhoof, of the Bloodhoof tribe." It stayed quiet for a while, until Ysondra poked the larger tauren sitting next to her in the side.

"Oh, right, my turn. Walken Blackhorn, of the Grimtotem tribe."

"You're horns are not really that black." Talgrun remarked, half seriously.

"I know, I know." Walken said, sighing heavily as if this was something he heard often. "I can't help it that my whole family had black horns until my father came around."

"And you are?" Ysondra asked.

"Talgrun, Warsong clan." Both tauren recoiled at the mention of the Warsong clan. "Alright, formerly Warsong clan."

"that WHOLE clan was changed into but an extension of the Burning Legion." Walken said.

Talgrun shook his head and said, "All except one."

"How can we be sure?" Walken asked warily.

"Last time I heard the whole clan had turned red." Ysondra cut in. "Does he look red to you?" Ysondra asked Walken.

"Oh, right." Walken sighed in relief. "So, what was that blue flash yesterday morning? Did they use some sort of magic to make you talk or something? As in. . . torture."

"Torture? No."

"Told you it wasn't torture, Walken!" Ysondra burst. When Talgrun looked at her questioningly, she said, "When we saw that burst of light, he said it was torture and I said it was something different."

"Wait a minute! How long have you been watching?"

"Two days or so." Walken answered.

He thought back two days. "So, how did you find me and didn't you have any trouble with the centaur two days ago?"

Walken had already opened his mouth to say something, but stopped with his mouth open, seemingly still thinking about what he should actually say. Ysondra didn't need any time to think about what to say, though. "It was actually an accident that we found you. We were supposed to stay a lot further to the east, but we were discovered by a group of centaur. They chased us all the way to the night-elf camp, where we found you."

"So you basically lead those centaur to the elves?" Talgrun asked a bit louder and hotter than he had intended.

"Basically. . ." Walken mused.

"Almost fifty elves died in that raid!" He said, again fiercer than he had intended.

"And you care?" Walken asked.

"We didn't want the centaur to follow us, if that is what you are thinking." Ysondra said, before Talgrun could say anything to Walken's remark.

"Of course." Talgrun said at a somewhat apologising tone. "So, if you had been aware that I was there for two days, why didn't you try something sooner?"

"We weren't sure if you weren't some sort of defector, who was there to relay some secrets to the elves or something." Walken answered.

"YOU were not sure. I knew from the beginning he wasn't a defector."

"The only encouragement you needed to get him out was seeing those ropes around his wrists. For as long as I have known you, you have always said that nothing should be caged for any amount of time."

"I was still right, now wasn't I?"

The food had been finished not long after that and they continued their journey towards the east. Still talks continued as they went on. "Exactly how long were you a prisoner among the elves?" Walken asked.

Instead of simply answering with 'almost a month' he started to tell his story from the beginning when he had plunged into the river and had been found by Xani and Chereesa. "That is quite the story, Talgrun." Walken remarked after Talgrun had finished. "One could write quite the book about it."

"Yeah, and I think it isn't quite over, yet." They made good progress to the east. On multiple occasions they found tracks in the ground belonging to other scouts. The relatively low amount of wind and complete absence of rain could preserve the tracks for quite some time. Talgrun noticed a few orcish style boots and hoof prints that were to small to be a tauren's so they probably belonged to a centaur. "Did anything catastrophic happen while I was away for one month?"

"Actually. . ." Ysondra looked upward in thought. "Ah, yes! I am curious about how you are going to react to this."

"What is it? No, let me guess. Warchief Thrall made some sort of alliance with the humans?" Both tauren looked surprised. "what? I guessed right?" When only a few nods came, "That. . . Is. . . Impossible! Orcs and humans hate each other for the things they have done to each other. They cannot possibly put aside their differences, let alone work together!"

"It's true." Both Walken and Ysondra said.

Everything he had been taught in his life screamed against it, disagreed with it, thought it was impossible. The part of him that he relied on most of the time, the part that was his own experience, told him it could be possible when the situation required such an alliance. That in the face of greater dangers, differences could be put aside at least for a little while. "Let me guess, again, the leaders finally figured out that they would have to work together to make sure they could live on to continue the fighting we normally do?" Talgrun asked after his surprise had made way for reason.

"Something like that. I belief their was some sort of 'prophet' involved that made both sides see that fact." Walken added.

"A prophet? Hmm. Seems like a reasonable guy. . ."

"Well, he did have a point. The burning legion being here to do whatever it normally does with worlds and these undead appearing all of a sudden on Kalimdor." Ysondra said.

"What? Undead?" Talgrun asked quickly.

"Oh yeah, you wouldn't know that either. Undead creatures have appeared on Kalimdor while they weren't here before, at least not in these numbers. From what information I have heard relayed by humans, the undead have followed the humans from across the ocean from the other continent. There was some sort of plague in the human lands that turned the population into undead and the survivors fled to Kalimdor." Ysondra explained.

"I think the burning legion and the undead have some sort of connection." Walken added.

"I think he had figured that out himself."

"Can't be to sure."

Some time later Talgrun asked of Ysondra, "So what was that magic you used on Xani?"

"Xani?" Ysondra asked.

"Uhm. . . the elf I mean. Back in the camp."

"Oh, that one. Who says it was magic? I merely used a powder from a herb that put her in a very deep sleep." Ysondra explained.

"So you don't have any magical talents?"

"I do, I just didn't use them then. As far as my talents go. . . I suppose you could compare them to your orcish shamans."

A few moments passed until Walken finally said with a little bit of a teasing tone, "Xani, eh? Why did she need to be protected from possible false accusations?"

"She taught me her language and was very kind and protective at times. Nothing special." Talgrun immediately replied, maybe a bit to quickly.

"Right." Walken said and then put one hand Ysondra's shoulder, Ysondra stroked his large hand for a moment and looked up at Walken's face located far above her own.

Evening came eventually. A fire was made and more food emerged from the satchel. "This is the last food I had taken with me." Walken said as he handed the food out. They sat silently around the fire. Walken and Ysondra sitting right next to each other, leaving Talgrun on the other side of the fire. Every now and then the two tauren mused amongst themselves in their own language.

Talgrun just couldn't resist asking. "So, What's your story? You two known each other for a long time?"

The two looked at each other, but it was Ysondra who started talking. "A long time indeed. Since long before this whole mess started." Walken closed his hand around Ysondra's, engulfing her wrist as well. "Most didn't even want us to be near each other."

"Why?" Talgrun asked, even though he thought she would have explained anyway.

"Relations between the Bloodhoof and Grimtotem tribe are not exactly good. More like, bad. So when we got together, both our families disagreed heavily. . ."

"So you're like. . ." Talgrun started.

". . .Mates. As you orcs like to call it." Ysondra finished for him. "Yes, we are."

"Excuse me for saying this, but you two seem very different from one another."

"Yeah, well. . . it took a long time." Walken said. "And some common ground in between the differences of both tribes."

* * *

A blissful sleep held a firm grip on Xani, and she didn't mind it one bit. It had been the first bit of sleep she had had without any nightmares about death and carnage. No dreams about doom guard decapitating elves with their flaming swords, nor any dreams about small fellbeast clawing at the stomachs of people she knew and then eating whatever fell out of the ripped open abdomens. No, she didn't mind it one bit. But then came a pull from a distance, ripping her away from her blissful state of sleep. It was also the first moment that some sort of conscious got back to her. In a vague flash of a memory from before she fell asleep, she remembered trying to stay absolutely still because she was afraid of something spotting her. Maybe this large silhouette that had crawled up towards Talgrun.

As she was pulled more and more towards the waking world, her consciousness also returned to her more and more. Memories of Talgrun whispering with the silhouette came back to her, but then the last thing she remembered before falling asleep was a large, three-fingered, furry hand held above her hand and something falling down on her face that almost immediately put her asleep.

Whatever it was that was pulling her from her sleep, it had worked. She opened her eyes and saw a familiar face leaning over her. It was the other priest that had survived up until now. A man named Jonno, a priest who had served in previous wars as a priest as well. "She is awake!" Jonno said when he stood up, to talk to whoever it was standing around her as well.

"Finally." A voice that an awful lot like that of Kaylin sounded, but it sounded even harsher and angrier than it normally did. A pair of gloved hands appeared and pulled her up harshly. From the colour and material of the gloves Xani could determine the hands indeed belonged to Kaylin. _This can't possibly be a good thing_. Xani thought worried. Kaylin's face filled her vision. "So why did you let our prisoner go!?!" Kaylin half shouted, half asked of her.

"I didn't do that. . ." Xani responded softly, feeling like she was shrinking away beneath Kaylin's harsh glance. The much shorter Kaylin suddenly seemed a lot larger to her. Xani looked around for help, still not to sure where Talgrun had gone. But when she didn't see him and only saw accusing faces she realised that must have escaped. The memories that had flashed through her mind before did so again. _And he had help! _She realised.

The only faces that didn't seem to be accusing her were those of Chereesa, who seemed unsure what to think, and Jonno's face, who stepped forward and started speaking to Kaylin. "I can verify that she didn't let the prisoner go." Everybody looked at him with disbelief. "She had a very effective sleeping spell on her, unlike anything taught to priests. I have seen it before, it was the effect of a potion that is sometimes used by tauren to put tauren asleep." Xani noticed Chereesa sighing heavily in relief at those words. "From the amount of trouble I had waking her up, I suspect she was given a dose that is normally enough to keep a tauren sleeping for two days."

"And you are certain that she could not have made this potion herself, so she could cover up her own tracks after letting Talgrun go?" Kaylin inquired.

"No chance at all. The ingredients can't be found in The Barrens nor any other part of Kalimdor north of The Barrens. Even if she had the ingredients, she wouldn't be able to prepare them here without the proper tools, which we don't have." Jonno explained.

"And she couldn't have taken the ingredients with her beforehand?" Kaylin pointed out.

"Impossible, the ingredients need to fresh." Jonno was known among the soldiers as being quite the wise sage, so almost all of them seemed to be taking his word. Some even gave Xani some apologising looks. Xani felt immensely grateful that Jonno had managed to pull her out of this mess.

"Alright Jonno, I have known you for to long to think you would lie about this." Xani happened to know that both Kaylin and Jonno had served in the same regiment during at least one war. Kaylin looked back at Xani, who she was still holding. "I guess this means you didn't have anything to do with the escape of our prisoner." Kaylin let go of Xani. "Uhm, right." For the first time Xani saw a Kaylin unsure of what to do, embarrassed even that she had gotten carried away before knowing exactly what had happened. It didn't last long, though. She turned towards the gathered soldiers and let her commanding voice sound as it had so many times before. "Pack everything up, we are leaving immediately. If the orc manages to find an orcish outpost, he will tell them where we have been for so long."

The soldiers didn't take long to start running about to collect whatever it was that still had, which meant they would be done very quickly. "Then where will we go?" Jonno asked of Kaylin.

"Back to the north. We can't stay here, south is not an option since that is orc territory, there are mountains to the west which will block our path and to the east there are those damned demonic orcs. We'll have to be careful, though" Kaylin said as she went to collect her things as well.

For a moment Jonno looked at Xani and she gave him a thanking look. He just nodded and walked of.

Chereesa approached her, with Obi, as always, in tow. "For a moment there I thought you might have actually let Talgrun go. Good thing old Jonno is still around."

"Yeah. . ." Xani said, sighing heavily in relief again afterwards. "Good thing."

"You did kind of bring it on yourself. You were always so busy with Talgrun and you never talked with anybody else."

"Always _very _busy." Obi backed up.

"Obi!" Chereesa warned.

"What? Sometimes it looked like more than just teaching and questioning."

_Sometimes I think that to. _Xani thought to herself, however strange it seemed to her. _Maybe it was more. _Not long after that, the fifty remaining night-elves began making their way to the north.

* * *

The next day, northern part of The Barrens

"How far is it to the outpost you talked about?" Talgrun asked. He had no idea where he was in The Barrens, nor did he know how far away from the Warsong settlement the convoy had managed to get before it had been attacked by the demons.

"Maybe two days walk from here." Ysondra answered.

"You are _so_ going to love it there!" Walken added, not trying to the fact that he didn't mean it.

"And why is that?" Talgrun asked, playing along.

Walken chuckled, but Ysondra poked him in the side, stopping the chuckling and spurring Walken to explain. "It's a human outpost. Don't worry, there are a couple of orcish _ambassadors_ present as well."

On Talgrun's right there was a low, Talgrun still had to look up to see the top, hill with steep slopes. He thought he saw a hint of movement on the top of it, but he thought it was just another creature that had made The Barrens it's home. When they were almost past the hill, however, Talgrun and his companions heard a sound that was an awful lot like that of a rifle being readied. The only one who didn't seem to grant the sound that much attention was Ysondra. Talgrun and Walken, however, swirled around and readied their weapons so they could face whatever foe that might try to fire rifle at them, leaving Talgrun just holding up his balled fists since his own axe was still somewhere on the bottom of a river. Luckily he still had his armour on.

On top of the hill Talgrun saw a row of soldiers clad in heavy plate armour, except one dwarf who was holding the rifle. Without a doubt these were humans, and one dwarf, out on some sort of scouting or tracking mission. The number of humans suggested that the assignment was more likely to be that of tracking something down and then dealing with it and the damaged state of the armour of some of the soldiers suggested that this assignment might have only just been completed.

One of the soldiers stepped forward, seemingly the one in command since his armour had a few ornamentations on it and had a green colour in a few places. The human stuck his weapon, a long two-handed sword, into the ground tip first and crossed his arms. "Alright hordies, lay down your weapons an--" The human shouted at the three of them in fluent orcish, but the man didn't finish his sentence. Talgrun was kind of surprised to see a human who had taken his time to learn orcish so well. "Wait. This cannot be." The human said completely baffled, having switched back to common, the human language. Talgrun knew common even better than he knew the night-elven language, he could even write it to a limited extend. The human took his helmet of, revealing the now aged face of a familiar person. "Talgrun?! Is that you?"

* * *

A/N: I feel so evil for sorta putting in another cliffhanger. Already working on the next chapter so the wait shouldn't be so long like this time. I am thingking about making some time in my schedule to make up for the lost time. I kind of cannibalised the name 'Walken' from my WoW character ( I don't play that much anymore, though). Did that in my other fic as well (which was also a tauren by the way). 


	14. Chapter 12: Familiar Face

I don't really have anything to say, so I am not gonna keep you.

* * *

**Chapter 12: Familiar Face**

"Talgrun?! Is that you?!" The familiar man asked in common. The man stepped forward, drawing heavy protest from the other soldiers. Clearly they were thinking the officer was mad for stepping any closer than necessary to an orc.

For a few long moments Talgrun couldn't remember anything about this familiar face. Ysondra had turned around and had seemingly frozen in place, staring in to the barrel of the dwarf's gun. Walken stood ready to engage in combat, but made no move to initiate. All the while the human looked at him hopefully, raising his right eyebrow in characteristic way. Instantly memories flooded his mind as if the dam holding them back had broken through. "William?!?" Talgrun shouted back at the human. He definitely recognised the face now. It had aged considerably since the last time Talgrun had seen it. The previously black hair had turned grey in some places and while the face used to be that of someone who had seen little combat, this was the face of someone who had seen more in battle or war than he wanted.

The silence still continued. Neither side did anything but breathing until the human William said to the soldiers behind, "It is okay, lower your weapons."

"Sir?" The dwarf protested.

"Lower them, damn it! This is not a request." The soldiers were quick to sheath their swords, but the dwarf still persisted. "Björn. . . LOWER the gun!"

"What is going on? What are they saying?" Walken asked while leaning towards Talgrun.

"Uhm, I think it's safe to lower your weapon."

"They just held us at gunpoint."

"I think that is cleared up." The dwarf had lowered his gun by then, but didn't seem one bit to happy about it.

"You think?"

"So what do we do now?!" William asked, still from a distance, this time in orcish.

"Why don't you come over here, so we can talk." Talgrun offered. Both tauren gave him a surprised look, Walken more surprised than Ysondra.

"Can you vouch for those tauren?" William asked suspiciously.

"They are not problem here, I am worried that your men are. . ." Talgrun responded, while pointing at the soldiers.

William looked at the soldiers for a moment, then looked back at Talgrun and said, "Alright." He turned around to give a few orders Talgrun couldn't hear to the soldiers and then started walking towards Talgrun.

"What are you doing?" Ysondra asked hotly. "You're going to get us killed."

"I know him. Whatever the deal is with those soldiers over there, he won't start trouble."

William momentarily looked up at what to him must be a truly gigantic tauren when he got closer, but then looked towards Talgrun again. "So what is an orc doing out here? This area of The Barrens is supposed to be patrolled by The Alliance and tauren only, to prevent unnecessary fighting between orcs and humans."

"That, is a long story."

"I got plenty of time." Again Talgrun told the story from the moment he had fallen into the river, this time a shorter version since there were a lot of impatient soldiers not that far away. "You're quite the lucky fellow than." William said when Talgrun had concluded his story.

"I have my moments."

"Still, you are going to have to get back to orc territory, your luck is not going to help you against other groups of soldiers or scouts. The leadership may have made a truce and even a tenuous alliance, but that doesn't mean that the average soldier agrees with it." William seemed to ponder the situation for a moment, but it didn't last very long. "I could 'escort' you and these two to the nearest outpost from where you can get to a Horde stronghold easily, so you wont get ambushed by another group."

"Won't your tin-cans disagree with that?" Talgrun asked.

"they'll do as they are told and our assignment out here has already been completed, so they need to get back as well."

"Then let's get going." Walken urged. "I am sure the military command would be interested in what Talgrun can tell them."

"What I can tell them?" Talgrun inquired.

It was William who answered, even though Talgrun had been asking Walken. "Why do you think both the Alliance and the Horde are up in the northern Barrens. To take care of Hellscream and his clan of demon worshippers. You can tell them all about the layout of the clan's town, where to move small groups of troops without them getting seen." William let that sink in for a moment and then turned around to the soldiers he commanded. "Alright! We are heading back to base and we will give these three a little escort to the outpost!" he said after switching back to common.

Virtually none of the soldiers protested. Only the dwarf, Björn did. "Escort?! Lieutenant, that's an orc right there!"

"And as such is an ally! Björn, this is the last time! If I even smell a hint of insubordination from you again. . ." The dwarf took the hint and backed down. The soldiers formed up in a loose formation behind Talgrun, William and the two tauren, and they started walking. The soldiers didn't seem to have any real problem with both of the tauren, except that both of them towered above them, even Ysondra.

"Lieutenant, eh?" Talgrun started. "I never took you for the commanding type."

"That is a long and painful story."

"How long does it take to get to that outpost?"

"I guess there's plenty of time. Uhm, actually best thing would be to start at the beginning." Talgrun just nodded a bit. "Remember the internment camp we were at? Way back."

Talgrun thought back. It was years ago. It was William whom Talgrun had stumbled into on his long journey after he had been left behind on Azeroth during the Bleeding Hollow's exodus. He spend a few days in a cell in the nearest town, subjected to interrogation from William, William being more of a translator. After that he had been transferred to an interment camp just south of lordearon, the main human nation. At the same time William had been transferred there as well to function as a translator at the camps. "Yeah, I remember. How can I forget, I spend years in those camps." It was also the place where he and William had become friends during those years, just as it was the place where Talgrun had learned common with William being the teacher.

"Well, two years after you made your grand escape over the wholly under protected low walls, I got myself a transfer to Lordearon's west coast. It was a town which mainly existed because of the docks there. I spend years there serving as a sergeant in the town guard, until the plague came." William halted here and swallowed hard. Talgrun knew him well enough, even after all these years, that this was the painful part William mentioned. "A plague hit all the villages and towns, some think it was transferred through a food shipment. The plague didn't actually kill anyone, it 'merely' turned them into undead zombies that would attack anyone they saw. My town wasn't hit that hard by the plague, only one in every hundred turned, but still it happened. . . Happened to wipe out my whole family. My wife. . . And both of my. . . Little girls. They turned into the undead. . ."

"You don't have to tell it all, you can just give the reason for the promotion." Talgrun hadn't known William ever had a wife, must have happened after Talgrun's escape from the internment camp.

"It has relevance! The zombies were easily isolated and cut down because they were so few and slow. I only found out my family had been killed after all of them had been put on a large pile to be burned. Somebody else had. . . Killed. . . Them." William swallowed the grief away and breathed in and out a couple of times before continuing. "For days that was the only problem we had with the plague, but then came a large refugee convoy. It was lead by the mage Jaina Proudmoore. They demanded that we prepare all boats and load everybody onto them, for the undead Scourge was coming. It didn't take long at all to convince the local townsmen to follow that instruction after Jaina had said that we were probably the luckiest town there was. Most of the other towns had been completely wiped by the undead. Not long after Jaina's arrival, the undead began laying siege to the city in their way. An endless tide of decaying skeletons, ghoulish deformed living dead, zombies and worst of all, those abominations. They looked like multiple corpses had been stitched together to created one large creature. Often extra arms had been stitched to their shoulders and almost always their guts hang from their ripped open torsos."

"At first we held them well enough. The undead didn't seem to have much of a brain for tactics, giving us enough of a defensive advantage and time to load up all the civilians onto the ships. When the soldiers boarded the ships, however, things got tricky. We had less and less soldiers to defend, until there were only a few regiments left holding the line. I happened to be in one of those regiments, together with that dwarf, Björn. What started out as a five hundred men strong regiment dwindled fast at that point. The captain was slaughtered, but one of the lieutenants took over until all the lieutenants were gone as well. That was pretty much when I came in. I figured one of the sergeants had to take control, why not me? I managed to convince the other sergeants to take orders from me and we continued to hold the line for a while until Jaina finally came to tell us in person that we could head for the ships. Once on the ships we were safe, the undead didn't have any ships to speak of. After one day of rest Jaina walked up to me and commended me on my efforts on the docks, even though only twenty of the original five hundred made it out of their alive. She offered me a promotion to lieutenant and I accepted."

"So these undead really are a major problem?" Walken inquired. Both tauren had been listening in, and William had been speaking in orcish.

"You can say they are a problem if they can wipe entire nations. And they even followed us across the ocean along with these demons." He halted again, shaking away a few bad memories and then switching to another subject. "What about you, Talgrun? You look like you have seen some battle as well. I almost didn't recognise you under all those new scars."

For the first time in a while Talgrun touched his own face to probe it for scars. Indeed, three large scars ran across his face, two going across his eyes. "Yeah, I saw some combat. Where you can see holes in my armour, there are scars underneath." Talgrun said, indicating those holes.

"What was your assignment out here? If I may ask. Or is it secret?" Ysondra started after it had been quiet for a little while.

"It's not secret. . . Reports had come in that there was a group of centaur going about the northern Barrens, causing trouble. We were sent to take care of them. It took four days to find them, but when we found them they seemed to be less in number than had been reported and some of them were wounded. As such we had no problem taking them down, only a few casualties."

"They seemed to have already been in a fight?" Talgrun asked to clear it up.

"Yeah, it seemed like that." Talgrun and the two tauren exchanged some knowing glances, knowing which group of centaur William was talking about. "You are kind of lucky that we had already dealt with them when we found you. You were walking right on the other side of the hill where those centaur were camping. They would have spotted you, no question about it."

They walked on for the better part of the day. The sun was already going down when the dwarf Björn came up to them tell them they were getting closer to the outpost. "Thanks, Björn." Björn walked away again, but not without throwing some hateful glances towards Talgrun. "So, Talgrun. How were you doing for yourself before you fell into the river and all?"

"Before? Before I was doing pretty well. I was a senior sergeant in the Warsong clan."

"Warsong! Humpf, you don't look that red to me." William didn't look that fearful at all, like the two tauren had. "I was told by a mage that every orc in the clan would have turned, because of something magical which I didn't understand at all when he explained it to me. Something about bonds that aren't present in our world, but do exist in some other layer of existence. Something very weak he said it was, but strong enough to transfer this sort of influence if the source was strong enough. At least, I think that was what he said. Apparently it doesn't reach that far. . . Or are you using all your efforts to stay the way you are?"

That last part made Talgrun think for a moment. He had been feeling what ever it was more and more the further he got to the east, or the closer he got to the outpost. At first he thought his control was just slipping a bit, but now. . . "Actually, I am feeling a bit more. . . aggresive." When William's eyebrow went up in questioning fashion, he added, "A very small bit." Talgrun patted the little bag on his belt where his crystal still resided, what he thought was the most probable reason for his resistance.

"Alright." William said in a way that seemed to say he had gotten past the fact that Talgrun might after all turn all red.

"Now that you mention it. . . I have been feeling a bit uncomfortable myself." Ysondra said. "Nothing like what these chaos orcs must be feeling, just uncomfortable. How far is that outpost from the Warsong settlement?"

"It is practically next door to the Warsong. I never thought it was a good area to build an outpost, but my rank doesn't quite permit me to protest that sort of thing."

"What kind of commander puts an outpost next to the enemy's main base?" Walken inquired, not trying to hide the disdain for whoever had decided that the outpost be build there.

"One who is desperate for recourses I guess, that area does contain some of the best quality trees for building."

Not long after that they topped a relatively high hill and looked upon that very outpost about which they had been talking. In the distance to the north were those quality trees that had been mentioned. In between those trees and themselves lay a scene of death and decay. The whole clearing had been scorched. The tower that used to stand in the middle had been reduced to charred rubble. The barracks had been burned down just the same. Everywhere bodies lay in pools of dried blood, some burned, others not.

With a motion of his hand, William ordered them all to lie down immediately and not make a noise. "Damn it!" William whispered when they were all down.

The soldiers hadn't seen it yet, since they had been walking behind. Björn crawled up to William and peeked over the hill. "By the thanes!" Björn said a bit to loud.

"Shut it! Those who did this might still be out here." William warned, in common since Björn wouldn't be able to understand otherwise.

"Nah, at most there'll be a small group of scouts. This was done at least two days ago." Talgrun corrected. Talgrun saw a couple of orcish bodies lying amongst the humans. He tried to hide it, but he felt the same way he had felt during his nightmare. _Which was two days ago! _The connection was easily made.

"We need to go down there, see if there are any survivors!" Björn urged.

"There aren't any." Talgrun said in common.

"And you would know that of course! You have done things like this yourself! Filthy orcs!" With each word Björn spoke louder.

"Björn!" William warned.

_Enough! _Talgrun's hand shot forward and grabbed Björn by his neck. Björn was easily lifted into the air. Every fibre in his body wanted to crush the dwarf's neck. But he also knew the others wouldn't take kindly to that. Reluctantly he only said, "That was a different time." And then put the dwarf back down.

"Still we need to be sure." William said, backing Björn. "If we just head away from here and there were survivors after all that might have needed our help. . ." On William's orders the soldiers got back up and they all started walking down to the burned out outpost. The smell of death and decay assaulted Talgrun's nose, remembering him of a time long ago. Worst of all was that a small part of him, which he thought he had left behind in the swamp years ago, liked it. Some of the soldiers held cloths to their noses in an effort to lessen the smell. There were a lot of signs the outpost's garrison hadn't just been killed, but had been tortured. Some bodies bore an amount of wounds that just couldn't be sustained in a fight. Those that had been killed quick and cleanly were lucky ones. Something Talgrun hadn't seen before were humans whom had been cut in half at the torso. The enormous wounds scorched closed instantly. _Some sort of flaming swords_. Talgrun realised, but those wielding such swords couldn't be orcs. No orc could cut a human in half like that while a human was wearing full plate armour.

The soldiers began searching the ruins and a few were sent to the forest edge to find any scouts that might have been left behind. As Talgrun had suspected, no survivors were found. Those sent to investigate the forest edge reported they had found three scouts, but one had gotten away, the other two they had taken by surprise. "Good, but we'll need to get out of here quickly then." William said. Quite a few of the soldiers gave Talgrun looks as if he had been responsible.

They had decided to give the dead at least something that came close to a proper resting place. For the humans one large grave was dug hastily. Talgrun and the tauren gathered the orcs and lay them on a bed of wood gathered from the forest edge. The wood was lit on fire, giving the dead orcs a mass ceremony. Talgrun had seen enough of these ceremonies to know a few words to say, which he said. The sun had already gone below the horizon long ago when both the humans and the orcs had been given something that at least came close a proper resting place.

"Alright." William started. Face grimmer than it had ever been. "No more side stops, I am taking you directly to command. The main Alliance/Horde base is only two days south-east. From there they plan to take care of Hellscream." Talgrun only nodded in agreement.

* * *

"And after you have 'conquered' a world? What do you do then?" Nielak asked. He had managed to get the Dreadlord to sit down at a table in Grom's chambers, so he could put the Dreadlord through some subtle questioning, to get some answers he been curious about since the raid on the human outpost. He had chosen the Dreadlord, whom he had discovered was named Dethrox, because the Dreadlord seemed a lot more civilized than any other demon he had seen.

"We go on to the next, of course."

"But what do you do with the world you have just conquered? You need to put all those lesser demons somewhere, right? Before the next attack.

"Yes, we do use the worlds we conquer temporarily house a few armies, before we move on. But for the rest, worlds we have fully conquered are of not much use. Usually all the recourses they contain are depleted and no life remains to feed on."

"So you don't use all your armies in an assault on a particular world?"

"Of course not. No one world would even be able to hold all of the armies. What we have on this world right now is but the smallest fraction of the entire legion, and what there will be upon this world eventually will still be but a fraction of the legion. The legion has conquered hundreds of worlds, some being home to races that are worthy of a place within the legion. In that way the legion grows with every world it takes."

That didn't sit well with Nielak at all. "Hasn't there ever been a world that withstood the legion in it's attempts to take over? I can imagine most wouldn't like some other power to take over."

Dethrox chuckled a bit and then proceeded to answering patiently. "Not every world contains truly intelligent life, but those that do, yes, they try to oppose. All but one world has failed in those attempts to withstand the Legion's might. Only this world has managed to truly evade the Legion's grasp. This time it will not be so, though. This time, the Legion WILL take over."

"Some races get a place within the legion?" Dethrox nodded. "Do they become mindless servants or something? Because what I have seen around here is that most orcs are not truly capable of thinking for themselves any more."

"Most. Not all, though. Most are transformed in some way to suit the Legion's needs. Others become like officers in the legion, like the Dreadlords, because they have a capacity for strategic thinking. Those that do not agree with the Legion are mostly slaughtered." Dethrox as if it were the most normal thing. "Some we let live because they still do what they are supposed to do. Like you." Dethrox looked at him intently.

"What?!" Panic wanted to take over. He made sure it didn't show, though. "Why would you say I don't agree with the Legion?!" _Maybe a few to many questions, yeah that probably tipped him of._

"Oh, come on. Even a fool would see right through what you hope looks like perfect servitude."

"Than why don't you just kill me, if I don't follow your ideas?"

"Because you still do your duties to the chieftain, who does belief in the Legion's goals. In a way, you still take orders from us. Maybe you ought to be careful with your questions in the future, though. Others might not be so forgiving as I am." The Dreadlord warned. "Besides, killing you would mean more trouble than you're worth. You're to close to the chieftain and the Warlord, both we need to keep the clan in check. You might not think it, but Grom thinks better of you than you might think."

"Oh. . ." Nielak simply sighed, feeling relieved. He looked towards Grom, who was pouring over some maps at the other side of the room.

The door to the chamber opened suddenly. The Doomguard that normally greeted everybody who came in with a good stare was pushed aside by an angry Warlord Firetusk. "Get out of my way!" Gralger said aggressively to the demon. The demon complied as well as it could without being pushed over. Since the raid two days ago the Warlord had become grimmer than ever. "Chieftain!" Gralger walked towards Grom without even looking who else might be in the room.

"I am busy, Warlord." Grom said without looking up.

"Scout reports, Thrall has set up a base a distance to the south. Also the scouts I had left at the raided Alliance outpost was ambushed, but one made it back."

"Thrall?!" Grom asked, not interested in the two scouts that had died.

"Yes." Both Nielak and Dethrox now stood up and walked over to the two leaders.

"Where?" Grom offered the map had been looking at and Gralger made a few marks on it.

Gralger pointed at the location on the map. "There is more, though. The humans have also set up a base. Right there." Gralger pointed at a spot right next to where he had put thrall's base. "they are working together." Gralger clarified.

"What?! Has that boy totally lost his mind!? He is going to attack WITH the humans!"

"Orders?" Gralger simply asked. "Do we attack?"

"No, we don't. We let him try to make contact first. Maybe we can make him see reason. If not, we will crush him and his rebellious forces!" Grom said aggressively. "Human's lapdog. . ." He mused afterwards.


	15. Chapter 13: Chaos Begins

It has been a while, but here is another chapter. I went through three full rewrites for this one, each one longer than the previous one. It is not a bad thing if you don't fully understand a part somewhere in the middle of the chapter, it is not meant to be fully understood (even for the character). Anyway, i think the M badge is rather appropriate for this chapter. . .

Read away!

* * *

**Chapter 13: Chaos Begins**

"I have to hand it to you humans. You know how to quickly build a large structure." Talgrun said to William, in orcish, when they arrived at the main structure in the human base camp, where both Thrall and Jaina were supposed to be. "I just don't get why they always have to be stone structures. Stone is so heavy to quickly build a structure with." The building Talgrun talked about was a fairly low structure, but large nonetheless. It consisted of a large square structure where another square had been taken out of the middle, creating an open area in the middle. The only way to get to the open area in the middle from the outside was a wide hallway which was basically like a canyon that gave access to lands behind a mountain. A well protected canyon at that, for a gate stood in place, although it was open at the moment.

"Stone is a lot sturdier than wood." William countered.

"Of course it is, but if you didn't have enough time to. . . Never mind."

They proceeded down towards the structure, passing both Horde and Alliance troops. Both sides gave them curious looks, for Horde and Alliance didn't mingle well enough in general to be walking together like that. Two alliance guards confronted them when they halted just in front of the open gate. "What is your business here?" one of them, a rather small human, asked. A helmet was covering the human's face, so Talgrun couldn't see much of the man's face, but he sounded very young.

"We are returning from an assignment and need to check in with the quartermaster." William answered quickly.

"Very well, move along." Talgrun could almost feel the hateful gazes coming through the visors of their helmets as he walked past them.

When they entered the courtyard William turned to his men and gave them the _order_ to get themselves some proper food and drinks, but just in case they were needed for anything they were supposed to stay inside the building. Björn also started to make his way to the few tables and chairs that stood in one corner of the courtyard, but was stopped by William's hand on his shoulder. "Not you, as my second-in-command I need you with me, at least for the moment. You can fill yourself up with ale later."

"Aye, sir." Björn said reluctantly, but his eyes gleamed a bit at the mention of ale.

William stepped towards a human soldier sitting behind a large table not to far away from the entrance to the courtyard. As if it were natural Talgrun and the rest of them, Walken, Ysondra and Björn, followed nearly instantly, having followed the man's guidance for the past two days. The man sitting behind the table was obviously an officer, judging by the subtle ornate armour the man wore. From what Talgrun knew about Alliance ranks he judged the man to be a captain. The officer's helmet was used to keep some papers strewn around on the table from blowing away in the slight breeze that reached even within the courtyard, despite the walls, so Talgrun could see the man was obviously bored with his work.

Many layers of paper seemed to be randomly thrown over the table for some purpose. When Talgrun got closer, he saw that many had long rows of both names, ranks and assignments written down on them.

"What are we doing here?" He heard Walken ask from behind him.

"We're just checking in and then we'll see what to do then." Talgrun answered after turning to Walken.

"I meant, what are 'we' doing here?" Walken pointed at both himself and Ysondra. "I don't see why she and I are supposed to be here, this is the Alliance headquarters. . . So. . ."

"It at least temporarily serves as headquarters for both the Alliance and the Horde." William interjected. "Only recently, though. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened after you two left on your scouting assignment. This is where Thrall and Jaina are working together to find a way to deal with the Warsong."

"Oh." Walken simply uttered as response.

William stepped up to the table behind which the captain sat. Björn stepped up besides him. The both of them saluted, but William was cut of by the officer when he wanted to say something. The officer didn't even look up from his administrative work when he asked for William's, "Rank, name, assignment." The officer sighed heavily afterwards, confirming what Talgrun thought to be boredom.

"Lieutenant William Farwealt, assignment was to hunt down and destroy a centaur raiding party, which had been--"

"Centaur. . ." The officer's voice trailed of after that and the he started looking trough his piles of papers. He pulled out a whole pile of them from underneath a small rock, which had been supposed to keep them down, just as the helmet was used to keep other piles of paper down. "How long ago did you leave on this assignment?"

"Six days ago."

"Six days ago. . ." The officer searched through the pile of paper he was holding and didn't take long to pull out one of the papers. "Tracking down a centaur raiding party you said?"

"Yes."

"Am I correct when I say you left to search for those centaur in the west with seventy-five soldiers under your command?" The officer asked apparently checking whether the information on the paper was correct.

"Yes."

"Mission successful?"

"Yes."

"Casualties?"

"Four dead, a few more wounded, but not serious. They will heal without any help soon enough."

"Good. Names of the dead?" The officer crossed a few names away on his list when William named the dead. On another piece of paper the officer wrote something and then said, "Lieutenant William Farwealt. This adds another accomplishment on your seemingly very good list of fulfilled assignments. At this rate it won't be long until you sit in this chair and I am back in the field, please continue on like this." For the first time the man looked up and noticed the other four besides William. "These are with you?" The officer asked, mostly referring to Talgrun and the two tauren. "I didn't see any mention of Horde soldiers on the assignment listing.

"He is. . ." William pointed at Björn. "But we picked these three up when we were finished with our assignment. And I think Thrall and Jaina would really like to talk to him." He now pointed at Talgrun.

"And why would they want to talk to him?" The officer sized Talgrun up and didn't seem to find anything unusual. _The purple shoulder armour ought to give it away. . . _He looked at his shoulders, just to check if the armour was still there. The armour was still there, but the purple colour had mostly faded away and numerous splashes of blood decorated it, further covering the purple colour.

"I am senior sergeant Talgrun of the Warsong clan." Talgrun answered for William in common.

"Right. Warsong clan and speaks common. I am convinced of the latter. The first, though, that's the problem. Last time I heard, they were all _quite_ red." The officer obviously wasn't trying to be serious. Another group of soldiers came up behind William and Talgrun, also wanting to check in. "Alright, I haven't got time to check you out. I'll send someone to try and get Jaina, or Thrall. You can take a seat right there, it might take a while since they are probably thinking of a grand plan or something. . ." The officer called a courier to him, a boy barely out of child years, and then send the courier out with the message to get Jaina or Thrall.

They took a seat as the officer had suggested. Only Ysondra and Walken talked to the captain a little more to point out what they had discovered on their own assignment. Surprisingly the captain managed well enough with a rather limited orcish vocabulary. "Can I get a pint of ale now?" Björn asked, almost whiny, when he saw a small group of humans and dwarves huddled around a couple of kegs of beer.

"Yes, you can." Björn was already away, but William pulled him back by his collar. "Not to much, I don't want a drunk besides me when Jaina gets here." He let go of Björn again, whom sprinted towards the nearest keg of beer. He looked to Talgrun and said, "And now, we wait. . ." William made it a bit more comfortable for himself by crossing his arms and legs and leaning back against the nearest table.

It remained silent amongst them, except when Björn went to get a second pint, the whole time, giving Talgrun enough time to think of what had happened the past weeks, month. As the minutes went by, he thought of Xani more and more, but he also knew what would be happening now if he had stayed. More interrogations, probably not so kind this time. Still, he thought more about the relationship he hadn't thought possible before he had met her than he thought about any possible interrogations.

He hadn't had to much time for this sort of reflecting when he had been with William, Walken and Ysondra. Since both William and Ysondra were fairly talkative types, Walken not so much. The talks he had with Xani had felt different, he realised now. William was one of only two remaining true friends, Xani being the other. Nielak was probably dead. And even if he was still alive, he would be forced to go along with the chaos orcs, something Talgrun wouldn't wish for his worst enemy.

Out of habit he reached inside the small bag that hung from his belt. No calming feelings would spread through him this time, but he felt something else, inside the bag. Slowly, he pulled it out, as to not damage it somehow. Carefully he flattened the piece of paper in his hands. The figure depicted in the drawing on the paper bore a striking resemblance with himself, even some of the scars were pictured. In his time with her he had seen a number of her drawings, only a few of which were so detailed, most were just quick sketches.

He didn't have to much time to let his thoughts linger on the subject, for in the distance the sound of very heavy footsteps drew near. The steps were quick, but the heavy sound indicated that the one whom was producing the noises was a rather bulky person wearing plate-mail boots. He quickly put the drawing back into the bag. His suspicions were confirmed when not a human but an orc barged into the open courtyard. Not just any orc at that, the Warchief himself. With determined steps the Warchief carried the full-weight of some of the best, and heaviest, plate-mail armour without seemingly finding one bit of hinder from it. A short leather strap kept the legendary 'Doomhammer' at the Warchief's side. The accomplishments of the Warchief, and the Warchief's determined manner, showed that the previous Warchief, Orgrimm Doomhammer, had made good choice to name Thrall as his successor, even if thrall was still very young.

But even though Thrall was young, he commanded an enormous amount of respect from everyone around him, even from the humans, as he walked by them. Talgrun remembered that when he was that young he was still a grunt, just like everyone he cared to know at that age. But then again, fate didn't put him in the position of being the only son of a deceased clan chieftain. . . Fate only granted him survival in situations which are nigh-impossible to survive, if there even was a thing such as fate, but he tried not to think of that to often.

Thrall made his way towards the officer, who was sitting behind his table still. At first the man didn't notice the Warchief yet, but that soon changed when the enormous black plates of armour blocked the only view the officer had of the ground. The orc officer which the human captain had been processing before stepped aside respectfully, so Thrall didn't even need to tell him to step aside. Unlike with William and Talgrun, the captain did look up at Thrall immediately.

Another figure popped into view from behind Thrall's large frame, a human female wearing the long robes of a mage. Even though Talgrun had never seen Jaina before, he immediately knew this was her. Even though Jaina's physical presence was far from that of Thrall, something else about her still commanded a certain authority.

After a short conversation which Talgrun couldn't hear, the captain pointed at Talgrun and William. From what Talgrun had heard of the Warchief, he was supposed to be rather gentle for an experienced military leader, but that didn't seem to be true right now. Right now anger radiated from the Warchief, and mostly it was directed at Talgrun. To not make matters worse, Talgrun stood up respectfully and gave William a little tap against the shoulder, who had his eyes closed and was still oblivious to what was happening. William to stood quickly up in respect after discovering the approaching Warchief. For a moment it seemed that Walken, who was already at eyelevel with the Warchief while seated, was the only one who was going to stay seated, but Walken stood up as well eventually. Both Ysondra and even Björn had stood up as well.

"I take it you are the sergeant Talgrun I heard about?" Thrall asked demandingly the moment he stood still in front of Talgrun. The Warchief had to look up to look Talgrun in the eye, but to Talgrun it felt as if he were shrinking before the Warchief's intense gaze.

"Yes." He answered quickly.

"And you're the one who took him here?" Thrall asked of William, just as demanding, but in flawless common this time.

"I am."

Thrall's intense gaze focused on Talgrun again. "I was told you are of the Warsong clan. . . If you are not, well, I was in the middle of a very important meeting. . ."

"Yes."

Thrall checked whether Talgrun was still carrying weapons and then, as if Talgrun's reply was enough to convince Thrall it was true, said. "Very well, come with me. There are better places to discus this than out here." Without any further words Thrall lead the group through a doorway that lead inside the structure and then lead them through a short corridor until they stopped again in front of a reinforced wooden door. Only William had a short whispered conversation with Jaina, but Talgrun couldn't hear a word of it. A human guard unlocked the door so they could enter.

They all entered, Walken scraped the doorway with his one remaining full-length horn, and found a small room. The single pieces of furniture were one table and two chairs, one on each side of the table.

"So. . . Sergeant Talgrun. . . How about we take a seat." Talgrun didn't see any point in offering to keep standing, so he complied without a word. Thrall took a seat in chair opposed from him. Jaina leaned against a wall behind Thrall. The rest stood behind Talgrun, so he couldn't see them. "I hear you speak common."

"I do."

"Shall we do this in common then, so Jaina here can understand as well?" It was more of a demand than an actual question.

"Alright." Talgrun answered, already in common.

"Good. To start, I think it would be best if you start with how you got here."

For the third time he told his story, this time he started a little earlier. He started with Grom's decision to pursue the power source to the north of the Warsong village. He kept the whole thing with Xani simple by just saying she thought him the language and healed his wounds. The whole time Thrall and Jaina listened carefully, making not a single remark. Only in the beginning did Thrall look close to asking a question, but he kept silent. When he was done, though, the questions came.

"So you have been away from any contact with either the Warsong or the rest of the Horde for a month?" Talgrun only nodded. Thrall closed his eyes and seemed to be thinking deeply about the next question. His eyes opened again when he said, "You said that Grom believed the power source to be a way to help the clan defeat a superior force of night-elves. . ." Talgrun nodded to confirm the statement. "So he didn't have any suspicions about the origins of the source? He didn't know it would corrupt the entire clan?"

"There were suspicions that the power might be demonic in nature, but nobody thought it would do to clan what it has done now." Talgrun answered after thinking his answer through a moment.

"So he didn't know he was throwing in with the legion the moment he took the power for the clan?"

"He didn't, he believed it to be a means to destroy the night-elves attacking the village."

Thrall let out a heavy sigh of relief. "Than not all hope lost, yet." Some the anger which seemed to have been cropped up inside Thrall vented out in another sigh of relief. "There is one little problem with your credibility, though. You don't look like the average chaos orc. I did notice the purple coloured shoulder armour, although blood covers most of them, but you could have found them on a recent battlefield. Although I can't think of a reason why anyone would go through such trouble for an elaborate. . . Joke. . ."

"It's because. . ." He hesitated to answer. He didn't want to show his crystal, which he had managed to keep secret for so long. It was the only reason he could think of that kept him the way he was. In the end he told him about it, though. And in the process, he knew, everybody behind him heard as well, except Walken and Ysondra who didn't speak any common. But didn't doubt they would somehow find out by asking either himself or William about it.

"A crystal?" Jaina started when he had finished. "Are you sure it is a crystal?"

"It looks like just any other crystal, although it glows. So why wouldn't it be?"

"I know it may look like it, but I know of many artefacts which have been crafted to look like crystals or other valuables."

"right now. . . I do NOT care." Thrall cut in. "What I do care about is that this presents us with a unique opportunity." For some reason he didn't like the way Thrall was talking, even though he hadn't heard what Thrall was going to propose yet. "I imagine, if you put the crystal away for a while you would change just like the rest of the Warsong clan."

"Uhm, Thrall. . . I don't like where this is going. . ." Jaina protested.

Thrall stood up and started pacing the room as he spoke. "Jaina, we have been looking for a way to purge the Warsong clan for week now. We can't figure it out, but maybe Grom knows a way. We already figured out a way to purge one orc, but if we can cure just Grom, maybe he knows a way to cure the whole clan. . ."

"I still don't like where this going. . ."

"Think about it! If we have someone who looks exactly like a Warsong orc. . . He would be able to walk into the village, into any building, without being confronted. He would be able to scout ahead, find a way through--"

"If this is an adaptation of your plan to take Grom directly out of his stronghold. . ." Jaina's expression grew more sour by the second.

"It is! He would be able to guide us through the village to the stronghold unseen, from there we can get Grom out of the stronghold with only little confrontation if we can keep everything quiet."

"I suppose that by 'he' you mean _me_." Talgrun asked, not happy at all with where this was going. Slowly he was losing his calmness, which he was desperately trying to preserve.

"Yes!"

"And by 'us' you mean?" Jaina then asked.

"Me and a small group of stealthy soldiers."

"Why do you think I would even do this?" Talgrun asked, further losing what remained of his restraint. "I am still of the Warsong clan. . ." He already knew why, but he wanted to test Thrall.

"You came here, willingly. Why do you think that captain didn't immediately put you in shackles and had you dragged away?" _I thought he was just bored and longed for some reason that would get him back in the field. _He didn't say so, though. His last bit of restraint had eroded away.

"This is INSANE!" Talgrun finally burst, even though Thrall was a lot higher in rank, he couldn't restrain himself anymore. His outburst did seem to make Thrall falter in explaining his plan. "You can not expect me to be any better in restraining myself than any of the other Warsong are. Anything to get the old Grom back, but this is just not going to work!" _Although a plan is still better than no plan at all._

"Than what should we do then, fight our way through the entire Warsong clan to get at him? There won't be a lot of the clan to salvage if we do that. I have no doubt that we would be able to do it with the amount manpower we have out our disposal, but it would leave us severely depleted and unable to defend ourselves from anything else. If you have a better plan than be my guest and tell me about it."

For at least one minute nobody spoke. Talgrun looked behind him to see if he could find some support from anyone, but didn't come. Walken and Ysondra were leaning towards William, who seemed to be giving them a shortened translation of what had been said. Even Björn seemed to be thinking deeply, not that Talgrun expected anything positive to come from the troublesome dwarf. He did have to admit that the plan had a better chance of success than trying to fight through the entire clan to get at Grom. But it all hinged on his ability to keep a clear head, and he wasn't to sure he could do that. _Anything to get the old Grom back. . . _

"So anybody have any suggestions?" Thrall asked again.

"Alright, I'll do it." He said reluctantly.

Jaina looked at him surprised, but there was a little bit respect in those eyes as well. He didn't expect any other sort of glances from those behind him. Except maybe Björn, who probably thought he was crazy, which might not be to far from the truth. Thrall looked a bit surprised as well, but more than that, he looked satisfied. "Great!"

"Assuming this plan is going to work up to the point where Talgrun is capable of staying as sane as possible, I have to insist that the Alliance and the Horde cooperate on this. . ." Jaina said before Thrall could explain the entire plan. "Even if it is just a supporting role in getting Grom out of there. We are still in this mess together." Talgrun could almost hear her think, 'preferably a supporting role.'

Thrall didn't mind that one bit. Thrall's plan seemed to be a very simple one, but since it wasn't already clear what the path through the village would be the plan would rely a lot on improvisation. But most of all it still hinged on Talgrun being able to keep it together. The plan called for two groups. One lead by thrall, would be the one sneaking into the village. The second group would stay behind and cover the first group's escape should they be successful in getting Grom out of the stronghold. Since William, Björn, Walken and Ysondra had heard everything up until then they were also given a place in the plan, but all four of them ended up in the support group. Despite the apparent simplicity of the plan, it could go wrong in a lot of different ways.

Even though they never said anything to say so, Talgrun could see that William and the rest were not happy with needing to go along with the plan at all. Maybe not as much as he was despising it, but still. They were still orders, and saying no to an order from the Warchief had better be done with a very good reason. It didn't take long at all for Thrall and Jaina to realize that the two of them could handle any further preparations themselves, so the rest of them were told to leave and have a decent meal and get some rest. Jaina only halted Talgrun for a few moments to tell him it might be best to come to her when he believed he was prepared enough to put the crystal away.

"So all this time you were still hanging on to that crystal." William said almost casually when they were seated in the open courtyard again, but this time with a large bowl of food in front of them. All of them had taken a large bowl of food, but Walken had taken so much food that the entire table was filled with food just for him. He was going to busy eating all of that for a while.

"I have, came in handy a couple of times. Never thought it would come in this handy, though."

"Can I see it?" Ysondra inquired.

"Well, unless you want to go blind, no. It is glowing very brightly. I think the first time I noticed it, it was just after that human outpost was destroyed."

"So you think it has something to do with each other? Could be. According to Thrall that outpost was the first time the Warsong attacked." William said.

"Wait a minute. . ." Walken said with a mouth full of foodstuffs. "Than that flash Ysondra and I saw when we were watching the night-elf camp. . . That was the crystal's glow?"

"Yup."

"Did you steal it from a dwarves treasury or something, during a raid." Björn seemed to be capable of turning every situation against Talgrun that way. "Killed any of my kin during that raid?"

Only barely was Talgrun capable of not reaching across the table to grab Björn's head and smash it into the table. But instead of doing that, he put up the nicest smile he could fake and then said with kindest tone he could fake, "Nah, I found it on the dead body of an elf just after the second war." It seemed to unsettle Björn more than any amount of violence possibly could.

"Oh. Then it is alright I guess." It seemed Björn wasn't just prejudiced against orcs, but also the elves of quel-thalas.

Eventually even Walken's enormous pile of food had been reduced to nothing but crumbs and stains on the table. By that time the sun was already starting to descend towards the horizon. One by one they started to leave. The first one to leave had been Björn, who had already left shortly after the first argument between him and Talgrun. Walken and Ysondra left together when Walken had finally finished the food. For a while William and Talgrun sat in silence, not minding the others presence and just watching the waning activity around them as the whole Alliance base prepared for another night in The Northern Barrens.

"I could just sit here until roots start growing from my feet, but I think I'll just look for a group of officers who can fill me in on anything new in and around the base. . ." William finally said after the first stars appeared in the sky.

"Alright." Talgrun simply replied. After stretching his legs for a bit, William finally walked of, leaving Talgrun alone for a while longer. Torches were lit in the courtyard, ruining the view Talgrun had of the stars because of the light.

"So you decided when you are going to hand over that crystal already?" Jaina's voice sounded from behind him. "Or is this an as good a time as ever?"

He turned on his seat and faced her. "I don't see it getting any better. . ."

"I take it that is a 'yes'?"

"Yes."

"Good. I figured it would be best if you do this during your sleep, so you wake up fully changed. Or, at least, that's the point." Talgrun nodded a bit to indicate he didn't have any problems with it. "I have got a _room_ prepared for you. It has a fully reinforced door, so you won't have to worry about breaking out in some uncontrolled attack of rage. If you'd just follow me, I'll show you to it."

With an effort, he had been sitting for quite some time, he stood up and started walking after her. With every step he took he wanted to turn back and just walk away, try to just walk out of camp and into the wilderness to find a future for himself. He didn't. He kept walking, although every step the urge to turn around grew more intense. But the last few steps to the door, though, curiosity also reared it's head. Curiosity of what _it_ was like.

"In here." Jaina held open the door. From what Talgrun could see of the door in the poor light, it was indeed a well reinforced door. He stepped through the doorway, but a short cough stopped him from going any further. "The crystal please. If I can I will try to find out what it actually is, if you don't mind of course."

He unbuckled his belt, the bag was firmly attached to it, and wanted to hand the entire thing to her, but he stopped half-way stretching his arm to her. Quickly he searched for the piece of paper inside the bag. He found it easily, took it out of the bag and then handed the bag and the belt to Jaina. "You can study it if you want."

"Thanks." in the little light that shone on her face he could see great expectations on her face. Now he did walk in to the room without being stopped by her anymore. She closed the door behind him and he heard her lock the door. "If you're alright tomorrow morning we'll let you out." And then he hear her walking away, her light footsteps quickly fading in the distance.

The room resembled that of a prison. There was even a barred window high on one wall. The view outside was a small open area, but it was dark now, so he couldn't see any details. A single bed stood as the room's single piece of furniture against one wall. "What a mess I have gotten myself into now." He said to himself softly. The bed creaked a bit when he sat down on it, but it didn't show any signs that it was going to buckle under his weight. He hadn't slept in a proper bed for weeks. The last time there had been blankets was even further back in time. There were blankets now, though.

What remained of the calming feeling that the crystal normally gave him had already left him, or was that just his imagination? _Xani. . . I hope you are doing better than I am. . . _With that thought in mind he removed his shoulder armour and put it on the ground. He then lay down on the bed and pulled a blanket across his chest. Although there was not enough light to see, he peered at the drawing he held in one hand. After one minute he carefully folded the paper and put it on the ground besides the armour, so he wouldn't accidentally rip it in his sleep. Surprisingly, sleep was quick to get a hold on him and he soon fell asleep. _Let's see what sleep brings. . ._

* * *

It brought confusion. Confusion as he regained consciousness. He couldn't remember a lot, as if _everything_ up to then had been a dream. His eyes were closed and for the moment and he had no intention of opening them just yet, instead he tried to think where he could possibly be. He felt he lay on something soft, though. The only sounds he heard were of his own breathing and his heard slowly beating in his chest. Both sounded like thunder to his ears as the sound seemed impossibly amplified. He tried to remember, but no memories would come up.

As his chest slowly expanded and shrunk as he breathed, he noticed he wasn't lying something entirely soft. It was hard, almost bony in places. He opened his eyes and realized what he had been lying on what had been somebody's body. He stared at the oddly pale face of a night-elf. Memories of that race suddenly did flash through his mind, but it was short lived as he realized he knew this particular night-elf.

Her was face was a lot paler than usual, her eyes were closed, but it was unmistakable. New memories came up from the depths of his mind. "Xani?" He whispered. She didn't answer. How could she. She was dead. Her face pale because of a lack of blood. "Xani?!" He asked again, much louder now. Despite the knowledge that she was dead he checked in her neck to see if there was any sign of a heartbeat. "Xani!!"

Quickly he rolled of her body, to leave it in peace, but he by doing so he rolled onto someone else's body. He got up on his knees and looked at the new body. "William?" He looked around and saw there lay many more bodies, all lying in one immense pool of blood. All with their eyes closed, seemingly at peace. He realized he was in one immense hallway. The end seemed to miles away, and the entire way, bodies littered the ground. The walls on either side of the hallway were not far away from each other, but the walls were also covered with dead bodies, nailed to those walls. He went nearly crazy just trying to identify everyone of them, and realizing they were all dead. "Ysondra? Chereesa? Nielak?" He could find everyone he had ever known amongst them, even those he had only known by face. Every single one of them, and just as pale, and dead, as Xani.

"No. . .No. . . no no nonononono!" He balled up, made himself as small as possible, started pulling at his hair, not to rip it out, just grab hold of something. "NOOOO! This isn't happening!" As he nearly started weeping when he felt a drop of liquid fall on his shoulder. Only for a moment it managed to make him think about something else than all the death around him. He looked up at the source. To his horror, he found the entire scene again. Every one he had ever known, nailed against the ceiling. But not so seemingly at peace as those on the ground had seemed. These bore wounds. Fatal wounds. Wounds which opened up chests and abdomens, leaving the flesh and organs beneath the skin visible. Ripped flesh hung from the bodies in longs strains of muscle, veins and intestines. Blood dripped from them. Some had seemingly not died instantly from their wounds. They bore infections which leaked pus.

He just stared up at the bodies. His mind went numb by just looking at them all. He wanted to scream, scream his lungs out, but couldn't. His body wouldn't respond to him. Unable to pull away from the sight he stared at them for minutes.

"They're all dead, needless to say." A voice sounded unexpectedly. Coughs followed the voice. Whoever the voice belonged to, he didn't sound healthy. Talgrun turned around to look at Walken, his body finally responded to him again. Walken lay propped up against one wall, just underneath an empty spot on the wall, as if that spotted would soon belong to him. Walken coughed again, blood coming out the same time. A long spear stuck out of Walken's body, pinning him against the wall. His armour was broken, his massive black hammer lay beside him with blood all over the head of it.

Carefully Talgrun walked over the bodies towards Walken and kneeled beside him. "What did all this?" He asked with a shaky voice, he hadn't processed the fact that everyone he had ever known was dead, and he doubted he ever would be able to process it.

"They came from down there." Walken managed to lift his arm to point down the hallway. For the first time he noticed there was a swirling vortex at the end. A blue light shimmered in the centre. "It is also the only way out. . ." Walken coughed up blood again.

"What? This doesn't make any sense! Why is this happening? What is the point of all this?!"

"Are you asking me? Ask yourself, because I don't know."

"Hold on, I'll get this out of you, then we will get out of here together!" He started pulling on the spear.

"Don't be stupid!" With the last bit strength in his body, Walken pushed him away. "I am dead already!" Without warning, a large axe suddenly impacted one of the bodies on the ground just besides Talgrun. "Just your luck. You're gonna need that."

"What? Why?" none of this made any sense. _Is someone testing me?_

"Just look." Walken again tried to point down the hallway, but he couldn't lift his arm and just pointed with his finger. Talgrun followed where the finger was pointing with his gaze and saw the swirling vortex was expelling massive amounts of figures which started marching towards him. Talgrun looked back towards Walken, but his head had sagged to the side. His lifeless eyes stared at the ground while his finger still pointed towards the swirling vortex as if it was trying to say, 'what or you waiting for? Get out of here!'.

Talgrun didn't waste a lot of time thinking about what to do. He took the axe from the ground, it felt well balanced and familiar as if he had used it for ages, and started running towards the approaching mass of figures. As he got closer got them he saw they were every kind of enemy he had ever fought in his life. Mainly Alliance soldiers from the second war and ents and night-elves from the more recent conflict. But there were also orcs amongst them, orcs bearing the colours of the clans which had betrayed the Horde in second war and had followed Gul'dan.

He realized that these were indeed those who must have wrought all this carnage. He would have to get past them to get to his own freedom. The knowledge that it was almost certain that he was going to die here did not slow him down. As he ran over all the bodies of everyone he ever knew, rage build up inside him. He wanted to show these bastards the things they had done.

The large mass of soldiers finally clashed with the one single orc, but from the speed the enemy soldiers died it seemed there had to be another army the same size. He did not permit himself to feel tired, but he couldn't help but be disgusted as blood splattered all over him. But slowly, as guts fell to the ground, as heads were separated from bodies and bounced of the ground, his senses slowly blunted. After what felt like an eternity of fighting, he couldn't care less for everything he did to the soldiers. What seemed like another eternity later, he enjoyed it, enjoyed bringing pain and death to the enemy. He left a trail of limbs and bodies behind him, but slowly he neared the vortex which Walken said would lead him out of here. It was the one thing which kept him going, kept him hacking at the enemy which seemed almost helpless under his only increasing wrath.

Unexpectedly, there were no enemies left in front of him anymore. Only the swirling vortex remained a few feet away. Finally exhaustion took hold of him and he truly felt depleted. "You think you can get away THAT easily?" A raspy voice from behind him sounded.

Still panting, he turned to look at the sole remaining standing figure in the entire hallway, besides himself, the decaying body wearing the robes of some long dead sorcerer. "It seems it is THAT easy . . ." He answered dryly to the undead creature.

"That's where you are wrong!" From within his robes, the undead sorcerer pulled a short staff. The tip glowed as the sorcerer pounded it into the ground. Waves of energy pulsated from the staff. Painfully slow all of the dead soldiers stood up again and looked at him with revenge in their eyes.

He was where he wanted to be. He could leave, now. Still, he didn't. He wanted to fight, almost as if it were an addiction calling to him, but he also wanted to leave. The first revived soldier came within striking distance. Without any real resistance he took the soldier down, nearly severing the soldier at the waist, but it required some of the last bits of strength he could muster. _I want to get out of here! _He argued with himself. _No! I want to FIGHT! Escape! NO fight! _As he took more and more revived soldiers down, the desire to stay and fight grew more and more powerful. Finally he managed to find it within himself to turn around and jump through the portal.

Nearly instantaneously he came out the other end of the vortex and fell down on the ground. With a rush of air he heard the vortex closing behind him. Thankful for his escape he clawed the dry ground. There was no blood here, no bodies either. He heard a boot hitting the ground just in front of him. He looked up to see to whom the boot belonged. The almost friendly looking face of Grom greeted him. But it was not the Grom he knew, but a new Grom. His skin was completely red and he seemed to have grown a little bit. Murderous red fire burned in Grom's eyes, but still seemed to welcome him to this new land.

"Welcome home Talgrun. I am glad you made it here." Grom extended a hand and helped Talgrun up. Behind Grom, Talgrun saw a village in the distance. A fire burned in the centre. There were orcs everywhere, going about there business. His desire to fight was still there, but it had mostly ebbed away. "Welcome home." Together they walked down to the village.

* * *

"So, what do you think?" Jonno asked her. The greatly diminished group of night-elves had been travelling to the north for days now. Up until now they hadn't found anything except a few bodies of those who had died during their original attempts to flee from the demons. Now, though, they had found a night-elf soldier, barely conscious. In the short time before the man had passed out, the man had managed to tell them he had been a scout for a night-elf force to the north, but his group had been ambushed by demons. All the others had been killed, and he managed to flee even though he had been severely injured.

If they were just any wounds, Xani and Jonno wouldn't be having this conversation, They would have healed them already, but the wounds had been severely infected. She had seen infections before, but never anything like this one. "I don't know. . . But I think it can't be natural."

"Agreed. I suspect it to be some sort of spell, because whenever I tried to heal the infection, it only grew instead of shrunk."

"Can we heal the entire thing at once." Xani suggested after contemplating the problem for a few moments.

"It would still take to much time. . . It instantly started growing whenever I tried anything. As if it used the power of my spells to make it grow."

"Maybe--"

"Priests!" Kaylin urgently called to them from where the scout was lying on the ground. They quickly ran over to the injured scout who was visibly close to death. Every muscle in the scout's body was tensed up. The scout was coughing continuously. "He's in trouble!" Kaylin said, pointing a rather obvious fact.

"Oh damn!" Jonno said when he kneeled besides the dying scout to inspect the wounds again. "Uhm, Xani, you were going to propose something when Kaylin called, what was it?"

Hesitantly she answered, "I was going to propose cutting of all the infected flesh and then using spells to regrow the flesh."

Jonno nodded to her in agreement and looked back at the scout, but then looked back to her with a disappointed expression on his face. "To late, the infections is spreading through his veins, look." She did so and kneeled on the other side of scout. She could see a thick mass of infected tissue move through the thickened veins. Another thing she hadn't seen before. "It's to late, we can't do anything anymore." Jonno stood up and took a few paces away from the dying scout.

"You can't do anything anymore?!" Kaylin asked demandingly. "What about the plan to cut of all the infected flesh?"

"The infection is all over his body by now, including his head. You want to cut of his head? That's one of the most sure ways to make sure someone stays dead I know of. We'd be better of killing him now, would save him a lot of suffering."

"What?! There has to be some way to help him!" Xani protested. She had no intention of giving up so easily.

Jonno stood up, took her by the arm and walked a few paces away from the dying scout. While doing so he told Kaylin, "It would be best to kill him now, he is beyond hope."

"What?! No!" Xani shouted to prevent it, while she was pushed away from the scout. She tried to cut loose from Jonno's grasp, but he made sure she couldn't go around him.

"Do it." Jonno urged one last time. He then looked straight at Xani. "I am just going to guess you have never had a wounded man or woman in front of you, who you couldn't save. Let me assure you, there will be many more. You can't save everybody, only those who you can. . ." Flashes of a soldier killed by a centaur, which had gone around the battle to attack the wounded, came to her. Behind Jonno she saw Kaylin drawing her sword and walking slowly towards the scout. Realizing that there wasn't anything she could do and that Jonno was right she rested her protest and hung her head a bit. "Alright?" Jonno asked softly. She just nodded weakly.

"Uhm, he is dead. . ." Kaylin said, to hesitantly to Xani's liking.

"Yeah?" Jonno turned around. Kaylin held up her sword, which had no blood on it all. Although Kaylin had said that the scout was dead, he was in the process of standing up behind Kaylin when Xani looked at him. He most definitely wasn't dead, but to say he was alive. . . Only a little bit of blood still dripped from his wounds, but pus now dripped from them as well, in adequate amounts. "Get away from him!" Jonno shouted when he noticed it to. _That is not possible!_ Xani thought as she frantically tried to comply with Jonno's order.

Without checking what Jonno was talking about, Kaylin jumped away from the scout. Only after she looked to see. The scout just stood there, looking around himself as if to get his bearings. "Can you hear me?" Kaylin inquired, trying to get the scout's attention by waving her hand in front of him. The scout saw the hand and then slowly turned his gaze towards Kaylin, lifeless eyes staring into Kaylin's watchful eyes. "Can you--"

The scout charged, cutting Kaylin's sentence short. Blood gurgled in the scout's throat as he roared. Kaylin merely stepped aside, while everybody else just tried to get away. Both Chereesa and Obi were standing nearby as well. Both of them drew their weapons, just like everybody else. Even Xani drew her sword, although she didn't know if she would use it. Everybody had gotten out of the scout's way, forcing the scout to halt and search for a new target. This time it didn't take long at all.

Roaring all the way, the scout charged at a young soldier, who stepped back. The young soldier stumbled over the large root of a tree, but managed not to fall. In the process of trying to keep standing, though, the scout caught up with him and took a firm hold. However, the young soldier hadn't survived so long by just doing nothing. The soldier's sword ripped through the scout's flesh, but even as it's tip exited through the scout's back, the scout pulled the soldier closer. The young soldier screamed out in pain as the scout set his teeth in the soldiers neck. Letting go of the sword, the soldier reach up and tried to push the scout away. With help of Obi who had run up to the two, he pushed the scout away, but the scout's teeth ripped away part of the soldiers neck, exposing veins and muscles. Obi pulled the scout away and tried to then push the scout into someone else's direction, who was holding a sword ready, but the scout whirled around in Obi's grasp and let a balled fist smash into Obi's jaw. Obi's let go of the scout and fell to the ground, knocked unconscious.

Before the scout could descend upon Obi to rip him apart, another soldier came up behind the scout and sliced through the scout's back with her sword. Again the sword went through, splashing blood an gore all of the ground. Still the scout would not drop. Instead, the scout whirled around again and smashed the soldier to the ground. This time no one struck the scout in the back, and the scout could descend upon the fallen soldier, without being hindered for a few seconds. The female soldier screamed out in pain as a few seconds was more then enough for the scout, she was slowly being ripped apart by unnaturally strong hands and teeth.

Three arrows drilled themselves into the scout at the same time, one of the shooters being Chereesa. "No! Shoot the head! The head!" Jonno screamed at them. They readied more arrows, but the scout had already stood up and was now charging at Jonno. Jonno had his own sword, and sliced upward at the scout. Four fingers went flying as they were separated from the hand, but in the process of cutting of the scout's fingers, Jonno had put his arm mere inches in front of the scout's mouth. The scout seemed to feel no pain and proceeded as if nothing had happened, setting his teeth into Jonno's lower arm. Before the scout could do anything else, Kaylin's sword lopped of the scout's head, this time ending the scout's rampage. Jonno held his arm in an effort to stop the bleeding, but blood seeped through his fingers.

Xani had been staring at the whole ordeal with wide, unbelieving, eyes, as had many others. Kaylin kicked against the scout's body a few times to make sure he was truly dead. Nothing happened, convincing most that the scout was truly dead now. While Jonno still tried to make his own arm stop bleeding, Xani ran over the female soldier, who had stopped screaming the moment the scout had let go of her. Xani nearly had to throw up when she saw the soldier's body. Her armour had been ripped from her body. The flesh underneath had been torn apart. Upon her face still remained the expression of complete pain and fear. Xani jumped away the moment she noticed the soldier's hand moving in way that was definitely not twitching. Kaylin already stepped up to the female and without a word cut of her head as well. She nodded to Xani and then walked to Jonno, sheathing her sword at the same time.

"Are you okay?" chereesa asked worried as she walked up to Xani after seeing Kaylin hack of the female soldier's head.

"Yes." Xani answered, a bit hesitantly. "No wounds." She said, still not believing what had happened over the last few minutes. _That 'infection' somehow revived the scout and then send it on a rampage?_ She could hardly believe it herself. "Could you check if Obi has any injuries?" She asked after breathing deeply a couple of times. Chereesa nodded and walked away to do as Xani had asked.

Xani then looked to Jonno, who seemed to be trying to heal his own wound. Light shone from his other hand and from the bleeding arm when he cast the spell, but the light abruptly disappeared at the same time that his eyes widened a little in fear. "DAMN IT!" He shouted angrily. Xani looked to the other wounded soldier, who was desperately trying to keep the blood inside his neck. Others were already coming with pieces of cloth to stem the bleeding. For the moment Xani decided Jonno needed to be seen to first. _If he dies, I am the only priest left._ She didn't like that thought at all.

"What is it?" Xani asked when she walked up to Jonno, but her fear that his wound was probably infected was proven correct when he held it up for her to see.

"It began growing when I tried to heal the wound just like with the scout!" Jonno said to clarify.

"Didn't you say something about cutting of the infected flesh?" Kaylin offered.

Xani and Jonno looked at each other for a moment. "Do it, cut it of!" Jonno finally said. He already held his arm out. Xani still had her sword in hand. She positioned herself to be able to cut of the entire lower arm in one clean strike. The sword went up to ready it, but then nothing happened. _Do it! _She urged herself. _Nothing to it. Just hack it of! _But she didn't want to hurt Jonno, despite apparent willingness to quickly write wounded of. "Come on! There is more to do!" Jonno finally shouted at her, referring to the other wounded soldier with that last statement.

Finally she did bring the sword down with all the strength she had in her arms. It cut the lower arm of completely. Jonno managed to keep his mouth shut, but he nearly grinded his teeth to small bits trying not to scream in pain. Xani quickly checked the new wound for the infection, but it wasn't there. Contend that it was save to start healing, she held her hands up to the wound. The wound bled massively, every major artery in the arm being severed. She spoke a few words of words to cast the spell and light shone from her hand as well as from the wound. Almost instantly the wound stopped bleeding. Mere moments later bones and muscles began growing back. New large veins found their way in between muscles and bones, then smaller veins started growing back. Last to come back was the skin, and it was completely without scarring except for the place where the arm had been severed, there was a small light line all the way around the arm.

Jonno tested the arm, flexing it, and found it to work properly. "Good. Now, let's go see to the other wounded." They made their way to the young soldier, who sat against a tree. Fellow soldiers were trying to plug the massive hole in the soldier's neck, but to no avail. "Let me see." Jonno lightly pushed the other soldiers away. By only lifting the pieces of cloth, which had been stuffed inside the wound, slightly he saw enough of the wound. From the base of the skull to the lower part of the neck, the flesh had been ripped away. Already the skin around the wound was becoming black, and slowly crept up over the soldier's skin. Parts of the jaw were already blackening because of infection. "Oh, damn it!"

"What? You can heal it, right?" The young soldier asked desperately. He was still very much awake. "I saw her heal yours." Jonno stepped away and let Xani take a look. "You _can_ heal it right?" She stepped away as well and walked to Jonno. She knew this soldier, by face only, though. he had prevented Xani from having to fight a couple of times when they had been running away from the demons to the south. Chereesa, and Obi now a little as well, were the only ones in their entire group who she really knew, let alone count as her friends.

"It will be hard, but it might be possible." She concluded, although she had a lot of doubts about it.

"Are you kidding?! You saw it! It's all over his face already." Jonno turned to Kaylin. "We would be best of just killing him now." He said in an almost casual way.

"WHAT?!" Both Xani and the young soldier screamed. "He isn't dead, yet. He isn't as far gone as the scout was! We have to try!" Xani then said. This time she really didn't agree, there was still a small chance, however small it might be.

"It would only make things worse. You saw it yourself, you can see it from here. He may not feel it yet, but it already inside his head."

"Are you sure?" Kaylin asked, for the first seeming to question Jonno.

"YES! I am sure!"

"We have to try!" Xani shouted, more to Kaylin than to Jonno now.

"Yeah! You have to try!" The young soldier now shouted as well.

"Xani, didn't we talk about this just a few minutes ago?" He reminded her. She did remember, she just didn't want to count this as one of those she couldn't save. More and more, though, she realised he was right, again. "Cut of his head." He said to Kaylin.

"Xani?" Kaylin started. "Do you agree?"

"Xani! Jonno!" The young soldier shouted desperately at the both of them. "Come on! You can at least TRY!"

"It'll only increase the risk for the rest of us." Jonno countered.

"To hell with risk!" The soldier stood up, holding the cloth on his neck with one hand and drawing his sword with the other. "I am not just gonna let you hack of my head!" All the other soldiers stepped back a couple of steps almost simultaneously. Xani couldn't hep but notice that both Chereesa and Obi were among them again. Obi seemed to be unhurt, at least not any wounds caused by the scout who knocked him to the ground.

"Well, Xani? Do you agree with Jonno on this, because I am not just going to kill someone on the advice of one priest. . . while we have two. . ."

"Good thinking." The young soldier said, desperate for his life, but still keeping the sword up. "Xani, just at least try!" He now concentrated his efforts on Xani. "Please!" She looked in his desperate eyes, but then her eyes went further down, to the expanding blackness that was now all over his jaw and one cheek. _It probably goes a lot deeper underneath the skin._ She thought trying to justify what she was about to do.

"Xani!" Kaylin said, forcing her to make a decision now.

_Whatever I do, I am probably going to regret it. _"Kill him." She said softly, immediately regretting it.

"What?! NO! no no!" The soldier screamed.

"Okay." Kaylin said curtly. Near instantly her sword was back in her hand, but the young soldier still hadn't lost enough blood to not see it coming. He raised his sword to her, but it was easily beaten out of the way by Kaylin's sword. In one smooth arc she brought the sword around again and lopped of the soldier's head. The head came down right in front of Jonno, who stared at it with sorrow, the first time that Xani saw him like that.

"We will have to burn the bodies." Jonno said, after he managed to look away from the severed head. "Else some creature might be desperate enough to eat from the corpses and get infected."

"Alright." Kaylin said in total agreement with him. Without any words spoken the other soldiers started gathering the various bodies and parts.

"Kaylin." Jonno started, getting her attention. "Wouldn't you agree that it would be best if we head back to the south?"

"Now I think you ARE crazy. Why? We don't know for sure that they are out there. I am not going back there and possibly run into the orcs or the centaur unless there is absolutely no other way."

"Isn't that proof enough for you?" He pointed at the bodies which were starting to pile up.

"It is worrying, but we don't know whether those demons that attacked the scouts were a large force or scouts themselves. Unless you can tell me that, I am to continue north to try to find a night-elf army, which we now know is out there as well. Understood?"

"Understood." Jonno grudgingly confirmed. Xani then saw him walk away. They had piled up all the bodies and parts and one of the soldiers had started fire underneath them. It quickly started consuming the bodies. Jonno came back carrying his own hand, the one which had been cut of. "Almost forgot this one." He said softly to no one in particular, drawing a few chuckles from a few of the soldiers, although most were to preoccupied with what had happened to notice any humour in it. He threw it onto the burning corpses. Even before the fire was done consuming the corpses Kaylin ordered them to move on again.

"I wonder what other new tricks those demons have learned. . ." Chereesa said. "I have never even heard of this."

"I feel so guilty for just giving up on him. . ." Xani said to Chereesa.

"Don't, if you hadn't, that pile over there might be a lot larger." Chereesa said to comfort her.

"If only Jonno wasn't so quick to make the decision we might have been able to do something."

"Even if there was something that could have been done, it wasn't your fault he died. If there is someone to blame it is that scout, maybe Jonno for being to quick to make the decision, but not you."

"The scout could do nothing about the whole thing. . . He was just the victim. . ."

"Of a demonic spell that obviously meant to do this." Chereesa continued to try and comfort her, only succeeding a little.

The small open area where they came with just over fifty, they left with just under fifty.

* * *

A/N For those that don't know who Gul'dan is. Gul'dan was both a clan chieftain and the most powerful warlock during the second war between humans and orcs. He found out that there was a powerful artifact hidden on Azeroth which could grant him enormous power, so he betrayed the Horde during the latter part of the second war and took his own clan and a few followers from other clans with him to uncover the artifact. He found it in a large tomb on an island some distance away from the Lorderaen/Azeroth mainland. The rest of the horde knew where he was as well and besieged the island. The artifact which Gul'dan hoped would grant him enormous power was guarded by demons, which had been guarding the artifact for many centuries. Supposidely Gul'dan was killed by the demons who did not take kindly to him and his clan. The demons then proceeded to eradicating the rest of Gul'dan's followers. The rest of the Horde managed to get away without to much casualties because of the demons.

I know that this is different from that in Warcraft II Tides of Darkness (In Warcraft II Gul'dan had made a pact with the demons, after which the orcs killed both Gul'dan and a couple of demons), but Blizzard changed it somewhere between Warcraft II and the expansion of Warcraft III (where a few night-elves discover some of Gul'dan's writings within the tombs, which explains most of it. It doesn't say he actually died, though, just that he was greviously injured. But i think it is save to assume he is dead.)

Feel free to correct me if i am wrong, but that is what I remember of it.


	16. Chapter 14: Chaos Lives

Yeah, Yeah. Me and my promises to update more. . . I know I know. I could give just you all an excuse about not having any internet for a month, but hey. . . Anyway. . . reviews people reviews. Reviews keep me going (when writing at least). I could use some **constructive** criticism. Help me make the story (or at least the writing) better, so you can have a better time reading it. I got another Huuuge chapter to spellcheck, so expect another chapter soon. I **am** serious about it this time.

By the way, this is actually a three-parter, including the previous one. Each chapter name starting with chaos—You just figure out what the next chapter will be called :)

* * *

**Chapter 14: Chaos lives**

The next day wouldn't bring any peace to Xani either. Although they hadn't found any more wounded night-elves, or any other beings still alive for that matter, there was something else.

They had only stopped once for a small break to rest and eat. All of them were continually alert for any dangers that might be lurking in the distance or in any shadow, putting them all under enormous mental stress. But there was more that wouldn't give Xani any respite. The feeling that beyond the next hill, the next tree, might lie an enormous army of the Burning Legion. She wasn't to sure it was just in her head either, it was similar to what she had been feeling while she had been en route to the Warsong village, only a thousand times more intense. The fact that Jonno had made several more attempts to persuade Kaylin into going south again only made it worse as well.

"Chereesa," Chereesa momentarily stopped watching the nearby bushes to look at her. "Do you _feel _anything? As if there might be something near?"

"As in demons?" Chereesa talked almost as if they were in a normal situation, but there were subtle hints that she to was feeling nervous from just thinking of demons right now. Xani nodded to her. "Don't you think I might be the wrong person to talk to? I know nothing of magic and that kind of. . . _Things_." she made a slight nod towards Jonno to emphasise her point.

Xani understood Chereesa's reason well enough, but she was reluctant to actually go ask Jonno about it. At first she had thought of him as the sage, just like most of the others, but now he had shown how quickly he would sacrifice someone to keep all the others save, she thought differently of him. Just what she thought of him, she didn't quite know, yet. _I wish Talgrun were here_. She thought to herself. _He would probably know something out of experience that would help a bit. _She still couldn't shake the horrific images of past horrors, including what had happened the day before. The face of the young soldier begging for her help kept coming back up to haunt her.

Finally she managed to make herself step towards Jonno. He saw her coming and had probably seen her worried expression. "Xani." It was more of a confirmation of her presence than anything else. "What is it?" It seemed Jonno wasn't one bit to happy with Kaylin's decision to keep going against his advice, he kept throwing almost angry glances in Kaylin's direction, but every time he looked at Xani he was his old self, although a bit grumpy.

She couldn't think of any other way to say it right now, so she just said. "I keep having the feeling that beyond the next hill might lie an army of demons." She kept her voice down, so those around them didn't hear. "I think it is more than just a feeling."

His expression turned sour almost instantly. "I was hoping it was just me. . ." Jonno rubbed his eyes in hopes of clearing his thoughts. "You sure it's not just in your head?"

"It's awfully similar to. . . When I got nearer and nearer to the Warsong village with the reinforcements. Only many times more powerful."

"Wait here, I'll try to convince Kaylin one more time."

But before he could walk away, Xani stopped him with a question. "Why are you so adamant that we should go south? If we _know_ the Legion is here, we can find a way around. . ."

"There is more to the legion than just brainless demonic warriors who follow their master's every order. Those fellbeasts are what I am so afraid of, they might not be the most dangerous to fight, but they are used as tracking hounds. They can sense magic because it is what they feed of, and as a result, they sense magic users, like you and me. Those hounds would have sensed us way before any of us will have seen or heard them." Without further words he sped towards Kaylin.

Xani followed somewhat slower, and only saw how Kaylin at first reacted slightly annoyed that Jonno again tried to persuade her. When she got closer to them she started hearing what they were saying, but something else demanded her attention. It was the same as feeling she had been having all along, only more immediate, as if this time it were truly close. Shivers went up and down her spine as she could almost imagine the gruesome face of a doomguard hovering above her. She crossed the last few feet between her and the two most influential in their group of survivors.

"Jonno, this is the last time I am saying this to you. We will find a -- Hey! Are you listening?!" He wasn't. His gaze was fixated in the same direction from where Xani's more imminent feeling of dread came.

His gaze shifted to Xani and they shared a moment of mutual understanding. "Commander. . ." Jonno started. "They're almost here. We are walking right at them."

Kaylin raised a balled fist into the air, halting the group. "Explain yourself!"

"After. A small group, is headed out way."

"Small group? As in scouts?"

"Not many, three or so, but if they do find us and get word of it back to the rest them. . ." He didn't need to explain any further.

Kaylin finally noticed that Xani had walked up to them and asked her, as if she didn't fully trust Jonno anymore, "I take it you heard all that?" Xani nodded. "and you have felt the same he is talking about?" Again Xani nodded. Kaylin was quick to make the decision. "We will head south, then. But first we will need to take care of these demons headed here. If there are fellbeasts among them, they will already be aware of you two and would only still be heading this way to find out with just how many we are."

From there Kaylin set up an ambush to dispose of the demons with the least possible danger to any of them. Within seconds, all archers, and Jonno and Xani as well, were up in the nearest tree. It was large enough to obscure them all from view with it's large leaves and thick branches. The rest of them remained on the ground and hid in the bushes under the tree. Kaylin went up in the tree as well.

It wasn't long at all until the demons came into view. As Jonno had suspected, there were three. Two fellbeasts and one doomguard leading them. Every single one of Xani's senses screamed that she had to get out of there, but she remained were she was, as had been ordered by Kaylin. The archers silently drew their bows and readied arrows. One of the fellbeasts ran ahead, seemingly sniffing the air with it's two large tentacles. It halted right underneath the tree they were in and it sniffed the air again.

The other fellbeast and the doomguard walked up to the first fellbeast. In the demonic language the doomguard seemed to ask something of the fellbeast. Without words the fellbeast had apparently relayed some information to the doomguard for the doomguard took a deep breath and then bellowed in a thundering voice, "I know you are out here! Night-Elves! Pathetic of you to be hiding as you always do!"

As the doomguard kept looking around itself and kept taunting them, Kaylin slowly raised her hand. The archers drew their arrows further back into their bowstrings. Just as the doomguard let loose a new set taunts, Kaylin let her hand drop down and the archers let the arrows fly down towards the trio of demons. Most hit the fellbeasts, as had been directed by Kaylin, which succumbed to their wounds instantly, but a few hit the doomguard, which was momentarily stunned by the arrows suddenly impacting it's shoulders. It gave the soldiers on the ground enough time to get up from their hiding spots and charge the much larger doomguard, which was still trying to process what had just happened. Swords began slicing of pieces of meat and severing veins, but before the doomguard could even shout out in agony it dropped to the ground, and was dead within a few seconds after that.

It was over in a matter of seconds, the demons lay dead, none of the night-elves had been hurt, exactly the way Kaylin had planned it. The archers descended from the trees and a small cheer arose amongst them, happy with their first victory over the Legion without losing a single soldier, even if it was only a small one.

"So what will we do when we get back to the Barrens and out of the Legion's reach?" Kaylin asked Jonno with a loud voice so everybody could hear. Xani was wondering why Kaylin was asking that, instead of the other way around. It didn't quite make sense.

Everybody fell silent as their momentary feeling of victory and hope was disturbed, but the next feeling of hope came from Jonno. "If we can make it through the Barrens and into the Stonetalon Mountains, I know of a mountain pass that will lead us to Ashenvale." The hope returned to everyone of them, even Kaylin seemed to make an attempt to seem hopeful.

Happy with what Jonno had just told them, Xani stepped up to him and asked, "So why had you spoken of this mountain pass before?"

Jonno stepped away with her for a moment and whispered, "Because there is no mountain pass, at least none I know of. Kaylin knows it to, it's just an act to keep their hopes up. So, please, in Elune's name, don't tell anybody, okay?"

Maybe somewhere deep down she had expected it, but it still tore down the last bit of hope she had of ever getting back to relative safety. She put up a fake hopeful expression and said, "Let's get to the mountain pass, then."

Chereesa came up behind her and took her away from Jonno, something she didn't mind a lot. "A mountain pass! We could back in the heart of Ashenvale within the month!" Chereesa said hopefully.

"Yeah, Who would've known. . ." Xani attempted to keep the happy expression, but she felt she wouldn't be able to keep it up for very long. There was one little perk to it that she could think of. A one in a billion chance that Talgrun would be out on some scouting assignment, and that she would at least see him again. _But a small chance is still a chance._ She was able to draw a little bit of hope from it keep up the ruse.

* * *

A blinding light shone into his eyes, even through his closed eyelids. Slowly he opened them, at the same time turning away from the light. A familiar room greeted him. He was back in the small room where he had been days ago. _Days?_ The realization that he had never left and that it had all been just a dream finally set in. Although he realised that it had all been but a dream, he couldn't help feel as if it had all been real and had taken a lot more than the single night it had probably taken. The visions of death all around him haunted him, but he tried to push them back, succeeding mostly, adding them to the many others he carried around. 

At the same time he remembered what it was he had been trying to achieve through all this, or rather, what he was supposed to achieve. He didn't feel very different, just shaken by the experiences of the dream, nightmare. Slowly it dawned, though. A burning sensation in the pit of his stomach, a desire to break something, to kill something. He sat up and tried to shake it of, in the process he noticed that the burning sensation was not the only change. He stared down at his own hands, which showed a significant change. They had become red, as had been expected. It still unnerved him, though.

It surprised him he didn't feel more of an urge to kill. Maybe it lay dormant mostly and only became more powerful during an actual fight. It would explain why the Warsong clan hadn't immediately broken from infighting.

The blinding light, which had been shining into his eyes, had been the sun, and had already risen far above the horizon and was shining through the small barred window. Slowly he got up and walked toward the small window and looked out at the rather limited view it gave him. It looked out over a small part of the large encampment. From his position he could see a rather stark contrast where there was a sort of border between the Alliance and Horde parts of the camp.

"Do you think he is awake yet? I haven't heard a single sound from in there for a while now." he heard Ysondra ask, it was rather muffled, but he could definitely hear her voice. He turned to look where it came from. It came from beyond the reinforced door, which was what caused the distortion of the sound.

"I think we would know if he is awake already." He heard William say. He walked closer to the door and sat down against the wall next to it, so he could listen more closely to what they were saying.

"Maybe he can't speak anymore, he had been shouting a lot." This time it was Walken he heard. Now that Talgrun heard it mentioned did indeed notice the stinging pain in his throat, but it wouldn't hamper his speech, though.

"He still has a pair of hands. . ." He heard William counter as if it were supposed to explain it all, but when no reply came from Walken. "He can knock on the door. . ."

"Oh, right."

In the few minutes of silence which followed, he put his armour back on, which he was used to wear almost always. The drawing, which he found just where he had put it under the armour, he folded it neatly and tucked into his boot, making sure it didn't rip while he walked. He then went back to sitting against the wall next to the door.

"So, how long ago did you meet him, William?" Ysondra asked.

It stayed quiet for a bit, but William finally answered. "Somewhere around twenty years. I didn't really keep count."

"But how did a human and an orc, well. . . become friends?" Walken inquired.

"Well, that didn't happen the first year, that's for certain. I had been a guardsman in a small town and at that time was already fluent in orcish, when he stumbled into town. Instead of killing him on the spot as mostly happened with orcs that stumble into a village, he was captured and interrogated for a while, me being the translator. When we figured out he couldn't tell us anything of interest anymore, we stopped the interrogations and put him in the small town prison until he could be transported to an internment camp. I was the one who had to bring him food every day, so after a while a few small conversations had occurred. Nothing special, but enough to know each other's name."

"One day there came a convoy into town which had been assigned to take any orcs which had been captured to the internment camps. At the time that was only Talgrun, so he was put on the convoy. There was also a letter for me, though. I had been reassigned to the same internment camps and was to accompany the same convoy. When we arrived the only one I knew a little bit was Talgrun. Although it was very strange at that time for a human and a orc, and still is, he and I, over the years, became friends. And eventually I even managed to teach him common, since that was practically the only thing to do. All the other orcs were completely lethargic and never made any sort of trouble. In fact the only escapes I am aware of, at least until the orcs were freed from the camps, were Talgrun and Warchief Thrall, who had also resided in one of those camps for a short while. I hadn't seen or heard of Talgrun since then until just a few days ago."

"Which is why you were so surprised to see him. . ." Walken added, a bit unnecessarily.

"Then where did _you _learn orcish?" Ysondra inquired sharply.

"Yeah, where _did _you learn that? You never told me." Talgrun finally spoke up. He heard some stumbling from behind the door and imagined them trying to get the small opening in the door which would allow them to look inside, pushing each other in the process.

"Are you awake?" Walken asked.

"No, I'm dead. Of course I'm awake!" He retorted irritated and then stood up to peer through the small opening in the door at them. They backed up instantly when they saw him. "I know, but I feel fine." He said quickly.

"You sure?" Ysondra asked.

"Other than feeling a little hungry, yes I feel fine."

"Hungry for what?" Walken asked, seemingly serious. Ysondra gave him a soft smack to the head.

"So you won't go on a rampage the moment I open this door?" This time it was William who asked.

"Do I look like I would?" Quickly adding "No, I am not going to go on a rampage." As he realized that he did look as if he would do that."

"Alright." William said, not taking to long to decide. "Step back so the door can open." Talgrun stepped back and waited for the door open inwardly. It opened and he stepped through the opening, immediately getting the feeling as if everything had shrunk a few inches. When he looked at William for a second he felt as if he towered over him even more than before. The fact that William tilted his head back more than he usually did to look at him enhanced that feeling even more.

"So, what do we do now?" Walken inquired.

William sighed and then answered. "Well, someone needs to get word to either Jaina or Thrall that at least this part of plan has worked."

"We're on it!" Ysondra offered and began dragging Walken away with her.

"We are?" Walken asked slightly surprised by her enthusiasm.

"Someone has to do it, might as well be us. Come on, we'll find Thrall quicker if you're not just standing there." Ysondra offered, unwavering in her enthusiasm to help.

"Oh well, anything to get out of this cramped hallway." Walken squeezed himself through the hallways as he followed Ysondra out, leaving Talgrun with William.

"You said you were hungry?" William asked after a few uncomfortably silent seconds.

"Yes, I said that, and I am, hungry." Talgrun could sense by the way that William looked away from him the whole time that he was very uncomfortable with new situation.

"Well, I am sure something can be found, even though it is already some time past breakfast." On William's request, Talgrun stepped back inside the small room and closed again. But it surprised Talgrun when William locked the door and then ordered a young footman soldier to guard the room. Fortunately it only took just a few minutes for William to return with a platter filled with leftovers. The door was unlocked again and the footman ordered to go back to his business. "One of the virtues of being an officer." William mused. Talgrun sat down on the bed with the platter on his knees and started munching away on the food, only now realizing he was actually very hungry.

William leaned against the wall across from him, watching him eat the food with concerned eyes. A few more uncomfortably silent minutes passed, only the sound of the food being munched on sometimes filled the room.

"I noticed you told that soldier to guard this room while you were gone. You don't trust me anymore?" Talgrun said when he felt he had eaten enough, which was when the platter had been emptied. It hadn't taken long at all. Hunger can do wonders to the speed at which you eat.

A few painful moments of thought followed, but then William said, "How can I still trust you when you're just like the rest of them fel orcs? For all I know you could be. . . Agh! I don't know!"

"You used to trust me before. . . And no matter what you say, I was and am still an orc, and you're human. If you trusted me then, why not now?"

"I don't know! I guess it's because. . . Remember last night? I said I was going to see if I could find any other officers who could tell me anything new. Well, they told me about what it was like to be fighting the new fel orcs. . ."

"Ah. Alright."

"Sooo" William started again, after a few more moments, in a way that was more like before. "Now that you're just like the rest of the Warsong clan. . . What does it feel like? Any constant urges to kill something?"

Talgrun thought it through a moment and then answered, "Actually, yes, there is the urge to kill or hurt someone, but it isn't powerful enough to actually make me do it. It's more like I am standing in the middle of the calm centre of a raging storm. As long as I stay in the centre, everything is fine. If I stray to close to the edge, though, well, I don't really know. I think I don't want to know either."

"It's really like that?" William asked, sounding purposefully foolish.

"It's just a metaphor. . ."

They didn't have anymore time to talk about it, though, for in the distance they heard the telltale sign of the Warchief approaching. The metal boots pounded upon the stone floor in a fast rhythm. Not long after that Thrall entered the little room with three others not far behind him. One was Jaina, the second was Ysondra and the third was a troll Talgrun hadn't seen before. Inevitably not every body fit inside the room, so William and Ysondra stepped outside again.

The troll was even more scarred than Talgrun was. The troll wore a goggle over his right eye which emanated an eerie red glow. From underneath the goggle came an immense scar, leading Talgrun to the conclusion that the goggle must be some sort of replacement for an eye lost in battle. For the rest the troll was mostly like any other troll, tall and hunched forward, a light hue of blue for skin colour, prominent tusks and long, wild and brightly coloured hair, yellow in this case. For armour the troll seemed to be wearing a mismatch of pieces of leather. Multiple patches were stitched on top of the original armour.

Both Thrall and the troll momentarily had an expression that bordered on the fearful, or at least distrusting, on their faces when they looked at him, but neither let it show for to long. "So you're finally awake again. . ." Thrall started, noticeably trying to not let any disgust through in his expression. "I see that the result is as we had hoped. Just in time, if we leave within the next hour, we can be at the Warsong village around midnight without needing to tax the mounts to much. I take it you're feeling capable of performing your part of the plan?"

"More than I thought I would, Warchief."

"Good, good." Thrall mused as he looked to his side where the troll was patiently waiting. "While you were asleep me and Jaina put together the two groups that will be accompanying us, but Ayo here. . ." Thrall gestured at the troll Tagrun now knew was named Ayo. "He and you will be cooperating during the scouting part. He is a master of stealth, so I can you assure that he won't be seen. Is this a problem for you?"

"No, it is not."

"Good, than I take it we can leave within that hour?" Talgrun only nodded this time. "Good, there will be a riding wolf ready for you. We will gather in the central square of this building." Abruptly Thrall turned around and walked out of the room again.

Talgrun and Ayo momentarily looked at each other for a few moments before Talgrun finally spoke up. "so what does Thrall expect from you? Are you sort of like a backup or something? In case something happens to me?"

"Yah, something' like dat, but I be also needed to keep track of numbers. I won't be able to go inside da heavily fortified buildings, so you be da one goin' into those, countin' the warriors inside. When you be comin' out again, you signal the numbers to me an' I write them down. You can't remember everything, so I write them down, an' patrols to."

"Alright, sounds reasonable."

"'Kay, mon." With those parting words, Ayo left again.

Talgrun noticed Ysondra was curiously looking inside. Talgrun walked out of the door, checked to the left and the right and then asked Ysondra, "So where's Walken? He finally figured out that the human buildings are not made for tauren and stayed outside this time?"

"Yeah, he didn't want to squeeze inside the hallways again, so he's waiting outside."

William started walking down the hallway towards the exit on the end and Ysondra followed him not long after, but when Talgrun began walking he was stopped by Jaina. "Wait a sec. I took a look at your crystal as I said I would. . . Besides being able to determine that it is quite a powerful artefact, I wasn't able to find anything else. . . I searched through a tome that is supposed to be a pretty complete catalogue of all sorts of magical artefacts and trinkets, but I couldn't find one bit of information that might be related to it. I'll continue to search through other books, though. So maybe after all this ends I can tell you more."

"Thanks. I take it I'll get it back afterwards?"

"Of course! Oh, by the way. . .Here, take this cloak and pull it far forward so it covers your face. Just a precaution so none of the soldiers who are not aware of your status will come to a hasty conclusion. Yeah, well. That was all, you can go now."

Talgrun did so and went to the square where Thrall said to gather. There he was introduced to Duke Derrington, who would be leading the backup group. The Duke was an experienced paladin and in many ways was just like the stereotype paladin, wearing plate armour, carrying a long warhammer for a weapon, acting as if he were a far superior being to any orc, although he reduced that last trait whenever thrall was near. Talgrun immediately hated the man, beyond his normal dislike of humans. Although he did have to respect the way he whipped the humans, and two dwarves, into formation. The man was obviously good at what he did.

A small orb was shown to him by Thrall. According to Thrall it was what would allow them take Grom with them without needing to go through a whole lot of trouble. It was a soul stone, and it was meant to keep Grom inside, so they could carry him in the handy form of the orb back to the base where the shamans and priests would be able to work on him.

He also received a new axe, on his request the larger version of the normal battleaxe. Also, there was fully prepared wolf ready for him. A young grey with black wolf, which he was told was named Sasha. Not that he really cared that much, since he expected to only ride it for a short while. Surprisingly the wolf didn't protest to his presence. It, she, even sat down next to him when he walked to Walken. Instead of immediately asking Walken what he wanted to ask, he stroked the wolf across the head and scratched it behind the ears.

He even become so distracted with the wolf that he almost forgot he wanted to ask Walken something. "I suppose you were going to say something?" Walken finally asked after watching Talgrun distractedly stroke Sasha for a while.

"Oh, right, yes. I don't see any creatures around here that could possibly carry your immense weight. What are you going to be riding?"

Walken chuckled inwardly and then answered. "Nothing. Kodo's would make to much noise, so I'm going to have to do without." Kodo's were massive creatures that lived in herds. The tauren had taken to taming the kodos for transportation. "I am quite capable of keeping up, though." Walken stomped the ground for a moment as if to proof his point.

"And Ysondra?"

". . .Will ride a wolf, just like the rest of you." Walken sighed, as if unsure whether to say something, but then said, "You surprise me a bit, Talgrun. So far You haven't thrown one murderous glance towards either that arrogant Duke paladin or Björn. I had expected you to, well. . ."

"Lose control?"

"Maybe not that bad, but definitely in that direction."

"Well, he might be arrogant, but he wouldn't be on this assignment if he didn't know what he was doing."

"Except if Jaina put him on this assignment if she thought it was going to fail and she wants the man to die because he's more trouble than he's worth."

"Let's just hope that's not the case." Talgrun looked at the whole group that was starting to gather together in formation, and noticed a fundamental difference between every one of them and Walken. All of them, even Thrall and William, had disgusted looks in their eyes when they looked at him. Some tried to hide it, but all failed at that. "Walken. . ." Talgrun started, trying to get Walken's attention. Walken had been staring lovingly in Ysondra's direction, who was half playing with the wolf she had been given and half trying to get the wolf to drink.

"Yes?" Walken asked as he tilted his head back down towards Talgrun.

"Why are you the only one who doesn't have a disgusted look in his eyes when you look at me?"

"I sort of know what you're going through" Walken said, for a change without needing time to think.

"You do?"

"Not the whole demon thing, but the part that you don't feel accepted amongst the rest, now." He hadn't even thought about it like that yet, but realized Walken was right. Maybe Walken was a lot smarter than he let up and just acted the way he did. "Don't get me wrong though, you still look horrible. But I went through the whole unaccepted thing as well."

"Right, _thanks_."

"Mount up and in formation!" Thrall shouted. It didn't take long for everyone to be in their places, since most already were where they were supposed to be. Talgrun was up front just behind the Warchief with Ayo on his left. The backup group behind and the main group, which consisted solely of Horde soldiers, up front. Talgrun pulled the cloak further across his head to prevent anyone in the small crowd that had begun cheering the Warchief from seeing him. Only at the edge of the base they stopped for a short moment. Cairne, the aging tauren chieftain who had pledged support to the orcish Horde, was waiting for Thrall there. "Cairne, make sure there are minimal losses while I am gone."

"Of course Warchief." Cairne said respectfully. It was more ceremonially than a real order. Talgrun was sure that Thrall and Cairne had already discussed what was to happen at the base while they were gone, it was just for the gathered warriors. Cairne stepped out of the way and let them pass.

They went towards the Warsong village with a wide arc that would have to make sure they weren't spotted by any Warsong scouts or raiding parties and would eventually place them on the east side of the Warsong village. Miles passed beneath them as slowly the landscape changed from barren to forest. Slowly the relative silence of the Barrens was replaced for the sound of birds chirping and other forest animals going about their daily business, although the amount of animal life did seem to sharply decline as they got nearer to the Warsong village. And as Walken had said, he was quite capable of keeping with the wolves and horses.

"You be feelin' ready?" Ayo inquired, probably after seeing the worried look in Talgrun's eyes, which dominated his expression most of the time.

"Absolutely not."

"dan, we talk signals for inside da Warsong village, so we be able to communicate. Maybe after, you be feelin' more ready."

"We would have to do that anyway. . . Alright." For the rest of the way they discussed their signals. They kept them simple, but unsuspicious at the same time, so none of the Warsong who might see them would immediately recognise them as signals. It didn't take long for Talgrun to like the troll, although he usually found it to much trouble to listen to the awkward accent trolls used, with Ayo that inconvenience quickly vanished. The fact that Ayo could come up with examples from past assignments and battles for the signals also demanded some respect, it showed just how experience Ayo had with this sort of thing and put Talgrun at ease a little bit.

"Dismount! The backup will stay here with our mounts." Thrall ordered when they entered a small clearing in the forest with bushes at the edges. Darkness had set in some time ago, and it was close to midnight. Through the canopy of the trees, Talgrun could see a moon and several stars, although the leaves obstructed most of his view of the sky. Duke Derrington immediately started ordering his soldiers around efficiently. A small camp was set up, for there was no telling just how long it was going to take to get Grom. Supplies for several days had been brought. Thrall and the Duke discussed for a short while just where the backup would be waiting, but then the main group went on again, not even giving Talgrun enough time to wish William good luck, or the other way around. He followed Thrall out of the clearing, leaving behind William, Walken, Ysondra and Björn, not that he cared much about the last.

According to a rough map, which had been made by a scout who had dared get this close to the Warsong village, the clearing was only one or two miles away from the village. The nearer they got to the village according to the map, the lower they bent forward, not wanting to reveal their location prematurely. Finally, in the distance they saw light shimmering. Not much, but still. They went on in the light's direction, but went slower and more silent than ever before. The ground sloped up slightly for a while, until the ground vanished suddenly. They lay on top of a ridge, about three hundred feet high, something that had not been depicted on the maps. For as far as they could see, the ridge went on in either direction. Below them, not far from the base of the cliff, lay the Warsong village, with the outer edge lit up with torches.

Thrall didn't take long to change the plan a bit. "Alright, we stay here. And you two. . ." Thrall turned to Talgrun and Ayo. "You will rope down and proceed as planned. Don't haste yourself, though. We have got supplies for a few days." A long rope was attached to a sturdy tree, allowing Talgrun and Ayo to climb down.

"So what would be the best time to enter the village?" Talgrun asked Ayo when they had approached the village as far as they could. Patrols and sentries were all over the edge of the village.

"Not now. We be spotted immediately when we be in them lights. It be best to wait for a change of sentries. You not be noticed then."

"Then what about you, I think you would be noticed."

"I know what I be doin', done this sort of thin' before."

"Alright. Then we wait for sunrise, when they will most likely have a shift-change, so I can mingle with the rest of them."

"Ya mon. When we be inside da village, we not be havin' much trouble. Not many patrols inside."

"You can see that?" Talgrun asked surprised. It was way to dark for Talgrun to see it. Ayo just tapped the side of the goggle that covered his scarred eye-socket. They were sufficiently far away from the nearest sentry to talk almost normally, the Warsong had cut down many of the trees around the village to create an open field of view, most likely so nobody would just sneak inside. Only tree trunks remained, probably what Ayo would be using for cover to get into the village. They decided to wait patiently until the opportunity would arise. It gave Talgrun the opportunity to clean up his armour a little bit, scratching of thick layers of blood. He didn't get it all of, he just wanted the purple colour underneath to come through again so the guards would recognise him as Warsong.

Hours passed by until finally the first rays of light began lighting the sky. Not long after that activity began inside the village. The group of sentries, which had been guarding throughout the night, was approached by another group of warriors, probably the replacements.

"I think this would be an opportune time. . ." Talgrun said.

"Yah, you be right. If everythin' be goin' as planned ,you won't be seein' me again until we be back here."

_I hope you're right, because if I see you, somebody else probably will as well. _Talgrun crawled out of his hiding spot and zigzagged through the tree trunks until he was confident he could stand without drawing the attention of any of the warriors, who seemed to be talking about what had happened during the night. He stood up and walked right passed the talking warriors without drawing attention from anyone of them. _That went better than I thought it would. _

As Ayo had said, there weren't many patrols inside the village. Although it wouldn't have mattered for Talgrun, since he blended in perfectly with the rest of the orcs. _First target. . . Finding Grom's stronghold. It shouldn't be to hard, probably the one with most of the honour guards around it._ But it was easier said than done. He kept seeing old familiar faces and he feared they would notice him. Fortunately, so far, none had. He passed by the barracks where he had been housed over a month ago. He was somewhat surprised when he saw it. It was still the same building, but there had been a few decorative changes. around the entrance several heads of slain elves, badly decomposed in this case, humans and orcs were put on stakes.

He stared at the barracks for to long, going through old memories for to long. An orc exited the building. He recognised her, and she recognised him. She had been the quartermaster of the barracks ever since it had been build. "Talgrun!?" She shouted surprised. _Not so loud! _He thought angrily. She quickly crossed the short distance between them. It would be foolish to run away, it would only draw more attention. He could imagine Ayo smacking himself against the forehead and cursing. "It _is_ you! How on Dreanor is it possible that you are still alive?! I was told you were dead."

_Damn it! Think! Get yourself out of this quick! _"I thought I was dead too for a moment. . ." He said, not lying completely.

She hit him across the jaw. "And you didn't even think it was right to come by the ol' barracks and say hello?!" She hit him again. It came across as both amusing and angering that she tried to hit him. It was amusing because she needed to reach up a long way to reach his face. "Anyway, where have you been all this time?"

"Ah, you know, out on some assignments. New group and barracks too." He noticed his heart was beating faster out of nervousness, he just hoped she didn't notice. "Actually I am expected there right now."

"Ah, right. I won't hold you up then, sergeant."

He quickly got away from her and went on with what he was supposed to be doing. It wasn't hard to find the stronghold he was looking for. It was where he had expected it to be, the large tent where Nielak used to tell his stories. Honour guards patrolled the open area around it and a duo of guards stood at the entrance. Next to the stronghold stood a barracks, which might be a problem if they did continue with the plan to get Grom. First he decided to take a look inside the stronghold and see how many guards were inside during peak hours, it could only be less during later hours. He signalled his intentions to Ayo, wherever the troll might be waiting.

The duo of guards stopped him when he approached the entrance, as he had expected. "What is your business here, senior sergeant?"

"I request entrance to see the master-quartermaster."

"Ah. . ." The guard thought deeply for a moment and then said, "Alright, you may pass. Be back immediately after you have gotten what you need."

"Of course." He passed the two guards and walked through the hallways, which he immediately tried to copy into his memory. He counted every guard he passed and took note of every high officer he saw as well. There hung an oppressive atmosphere within the structure. A sense that evil housed within it as well. That last feeling was backed up when he looked inside several rooms where, what he recognised as, warlocks were busy casting different sorts of incantations. It didn't take long to find the central chamber. He quickly checked whether there were any officers present that might recognise him, but there weren't any. There was a disturbing sight. A demon unlike any he had ever seen was discussing something he didn't care to know about with a small group officers. It looked a lot like what had been described to him as a Dreadlord.

A central stairs went up to a second level that only seemed to house one room. _So that's where Grom's personal quarters are, probably. _He then crossed the central chamber and went back to the entrance using a different route. The guards didn't confront him this time and he was free to walk towards the barracks next to the stronghold. On his way there he signalled the amounts of guards and officers inside the stronghold the way he and Ayo had discussed, hoping Ayo was able to see the signals.

The barracks was considerably easier to get into, no guards confronted him. Nobody minded his presence inside the building and getting out was equally easy as with the stronghold. When outside, he again signalled the amounts of warriors. _This is going a lot better than I expected._ He thought relieved. _That takes care of the most important part. . . _

But it soon dawned on him that he wasn't done quite yet. A group of doomguard came towards the stronghold, which alone would have made him feel uneasy. But he also saw they were walking on a path that seemed to be used a lot, but not a single orc seemed to dare walk on the path. _Guess I have to see what's out there. _He followed the path, but made sure he walked besides it and not on it. The path lead to a small open area not to far outside the village. The area was completely scorched black. Any trees that still stood, seemed to be diseased or dead already. Mutilated creatures crawled around in agony. In the middle of it all stood a large stone structure that seemed to come straight out of one of Talgrun's nightmares. It looked akin to the dark portal which had brought the orcs to the world, but far smaller. Still, the swirling vortex in between the pillars pulsated as demons came through.

"This be a problem." He heard Ayo say from behind a dead tree. He wanted to look in his direction, but Ayo warned, "Don't look! You be givin' away me position." He quickly looked back at the portal again. "You be thinkin' it be able to bring through many demons?"

"Nah. Not many, just a few doomguard and a few fellhounds every day."

"Okay. But it still be a problem."

"Yeah, that it is most definitely." He looked at the portal a while longer as it disgorged another doomguard. "Do we need to do anything else? Or can we go back to Thrall already?"

"We still be needin' to find best path for da whole group to get to dat Stronghold unnoticed."

"Right then, let's do that and then get out of here." Without waiting for some sort of response he started back towards the village. They spend the rest of the day trying to find that path that could lead them to the stronghold with minimal chance of being seen. Only once more did he need to talk himself out of an awkward situation when someone recognised him. The sun was already disappearing behind the trees in the distance when he decided that he had found the best way. But before he could make his exit out of the village, there was one thing he wanted to do. He wanted to pay a visit to a certain house.

He still knew exactly where it was, it wasn't that hard to find and it was relatively close to the stronghold as well. He had to bend forward to be able to cast a glance through the window of the mundane, even by orc standards, house. Inside sat an orc with her back turned to him at the small table. She seemed to be preparing a meal. He recognised her, but didn't see the one he actually hoped to be seeing. "Adonai! Are you ready in there, yet?"

"Almost! Stop asking!" Some mumbling came from within the room from where the reply had come. _Damn you Nielak, seems you really are dead. . . Else you'd be here for your meal._ He stood up straight again and walked past the window. He had been expecting it for a lot longer, but to actually now it for certain now, it did him more than he thought it would. _There is time for this another day. Better get back to Thrall with Ayo._

* * *

"You look fine, Adonai. She'll be impressed with you." Nielak assured his son. Recently his son had taken quite an interest in one of the young girls. So much in fact that he seemed distracted in everything he did. Nielak just thought it was the age the boy was getting into, almost fourteen now. He remembered himself having the same feelings, although he had been a bit older and late with them for an orc. The situation was a little different, but this sort of thing happened anyway. 

"You sure? I mean, her father is an important officer. . ."

"So you just want to look good for her father?"

"She likes me even if I am covered in mud," He chuckled a bit. "But her father is rather strict, so I want to look good, so he doesn't think I am just the average orc. You look at me as if I am being stupid. . ."

"Well, aren't you taking this a little serious. This is just one stage of your life. It will go away just like any other."

"So you _do_ think this just stupid!"

"Hey! If you don't want any help, than that's fine!"

Mockingly Adonai kept silent and put on the rest of the clothes he had gathered together for the occasion.

"Adonai, are you ready in there, yet!" Came Jirina's voice from outside the little room.

"Almost! Stop asking!" Adonai retorted angrily, something he did more and more lately.

"Hey! A little bit of respect for your mother, alright?!" Nielak said warningly.

"Why?! She's just my mother."

Nielak never hit his children, he did know other parents that did, but he sometimes got close to it. "I think your girl is waiting for you, better get going." Nielak said staring Adonai down, pure anger dripping from his voice, but he remained calm, barely.

"Al-r-right." Adonai said, clearly frightened. He stood up and quickly walked out of the room and then out of the house, almost running away.

Nielak walked in the main room of his house, just in time to see his son disappear behind the silhouette of very large aging orc. He sat down across from his mate, but then thought. _Very large aging orc?! Talgrun! _He quickly got up from the table and ran over to the window. The orc was gone, maybe just another manifestation of the feeling he had been having all day long. From the moment he had woken up he had felt as though something big was going to happen that day.

"Something wrong?" Jirina asked.

Nielak sat back down at the table. "Maybe." Silence followed, in which Jirina continued preparing the meal. "I think that today I am going to stay at the stronghold for the night." He finally said.

"Why? You haven't done that for a while."

"Just a feeling, but I wanna make sure it isn't anything bad."

"If it makes you feel better. . . In the mean time, could you go get the girls? They're probably playing outside. The food is almost ready."

"Sure." He stood up and went to get his two little girls from behind the house, where they were indeed playing. Not long after he was back inside, the two girls in tow, and the food was ready on the table.

"So when are we going to be doing something about the situation?" Jirina asked, as she had done every evening for the past two weeks. The two girls continued eating, not paying attention to their parents. "There has got to be something we can do about this bloodlust?"

"I don't know." Nielak said, as he had answered every time before.

"Well, now that you are going to stay at the stronghold tonight, near all those officers, maybe you can find a way?"

"Maybe. . ." He finished his meal quickly and then put the armour back on which he had taken of the eat. After saying goodnight to his family he went to the stronghold. There were only a few officers inside, and as such many of the guards were gone as well. But as always, Warlord Firetusk, who never seemed to sleep, was there. Firetusk was quick to notice him as well.

"Everybody seems to be leaving, but here you are, just getting in. What brings you here today? Uhm, this evening I mean." Firetusk asked, his talkative self, as always.

"Just a feeling. But I want to make sure it's nothing."

"A feeling? Sit down and talk to me, please. There is barely anybody around today, as if they're all expecting to be needed somewhere else." Gralger gestured at one of the many empty chairs that stood besides the table. Nielak sat down diagonally across from the Warlord. "A feeling you said? That's about the most interesting thing that has happened today. Please tell me about it."

"Ah it's just a feeling, Gralger. Nothing special, probably."

"I had a feeling once, turned out a night-elven sharpshooter had been following me around all day, waiting to get a clear shot." The Warlord seemed to have an unending amount of subjects to talk about, managing to keep Nielak awake with them. "So how's Jirina doing with the new kid, any problems already?"

"no problems, yet. At least none I know of, except maybe that this might not be the best time to raise a child, any child."

"I know what you're talking about. . ." The Warlord threw a suspicious glance towards the dreadlord Dethrox, who walked by at that moment.

"I didn't mean it quite like that. . . Well, maybe that to, but. . ."

"Than what _did_ you mean?"

"Well. . . With all those battles going on now, on a daily basis. It is only matter of time until someone close to the kids is killed. That's what keeps me awake these days."

"You worry about that? If I had to worry about anybody getting killed, than I am not getting any sleep ever. Not that I get a lot of sleep these days, though."

"Some sleep is better than none at all."

"True." There were only two other honour guards inside the central chambers left. They were the night guards that would be doing their rounds for the rest of the night. There were probably a couple more upstairs in or just outside of Grom's personal chambers, four or so plus that one doomguard that seemed to never leave. Dethrox had left in thin air as he usually did around midnight. Nielak heard a stumble behind him, something quite odd for this time inside the stronghold, especially since typically everybody inside the stronghold was rather firm on their feet and didn't stumble quickly. He felt his ears twitch as he heard it again and he saw that Gralger had noticed it to. "Did you just hear. . ." Gralger whispered.

Nielak quickly nodded "I did." As he turned around he took hold of the hilt of the battleaxe strapped to his back. Suddenly he wished there were more guards and officers present. Gralger put his gloves, which he had taken of when he had gotten something to drink, back on and reached for his hammer, which leaned against the table. Gralger signalled to the other two guards to inspect the sound. When the two guards disappeared behind a wall it dawned on Nielak that it might have been a diversion to draw their attention.

Slowly he inspected the rest of the room, making sure there wasn't anybody hiding in a dark corner. Gralger had figured it out as well and was quickly scanning the room with probing eyes just like Nielak, but made he was doing so into the opposite direction in which Nielak was looking. "Maybe somebody ought to go up to. . . Oh, wait a minute, no threat. Just a warrior coming through." Gralger said as he was looking in the direction where the two guards had disappeared.

"Yeah, I know it's midnight but I needed get something, Warlord." The warrior Gralger meant said. Nielak was still facing away from the warrior, but he recognised the voice, the voice of someone he had thought long dead.

"well then, get what you what you need and get out, you're not even supposed to be here at this time, sergeant." Nielak slowly turned around towards the warrior. His mouth opened wide in surprise when he saw the large aging, but fel orc, figure of Talgrun standing only a few feet away. Talgrun's response wasn't any better. "Hey! You two do know that both of your jaws are hanging a bit loose right now?" Gralger joked. "You look like you're both seeing ghosts."

"I think I _am_ seeing ghosts." Both Nielak and Talgrun said virtually at the same time with exactly the same intonations.

_This is wrong. Why would he not tell if he was alive?! Why hadn't I seen him before? I should have seen him. Than how did he get here?! _Questions raced through his mind, but he could only utter one of them. "how?" He simply said, to stupefied to say any more.

"Do you two need some time to catch up or something?" Gralger asked. His question was followed by a lot mumbling and stumbling as there seemed to be a struggle going on.

Very slowly Nielak turned towards Gralger to see him being held firm from behind by another orc, this one the original, green colour. Another kept his mouth shut, while even another orc tried to pry the hammer from the Warlords grasp. He noticed the unmistakeable figure of warchief Thrall as well. Nielak turned to Talgrun again, who had stepped closer now. "Please don't make trouble." Talgrun asked pleadingly, Talgrun evidently having recovered from his surprise faster than Nielak had.


	17. Chapter 15: Chaos Ends

And here is the third part!

**Chapter 15: Chaos ends.**

"what? Why are you here?" Nielak asked, feeling as if he had entered a dreamlike state.

"You know him?" Thrall's voice came from behind, asking Talgrun.

"Do I know him?" Talgrun chuckled. "Yeah, I know him."

"Can we trust him?"

"I don't know." Talgrun looked intently at Nielak. "Can we?"

He quickly considered his options. Either do his duty to his chieftain or throw in with Talgrun and the warchief. The memories of all those conversations he had had with Jirina about doing something came to him. He decided he would do _something_, as Jirina had called it. Not just because she would expect it of her, but also for his own children. The fact that Talgrun was there helped a lot as well, though. He let go of his axe and said to Talgrun. "You can."

Talgrun just smiled at him, but it was Thrall who said, "Good." Nielak turned towards the Warlord with an apology ready in his expression, but saw that the apology wasn't necessary. The Warlord gave him an understanding look and then ceased his own resistance. Thrall stepped in front of Gralger and said, "Warlord, I have no intention of killing you, but I will need your cooperation. If you will allow us to tie you up and leave you here, we won't harm you at all." Thrall nodded towards the warrior holding the Warlord's mouth closed, who then let go, leaving the Warlord free to speak.

"Very well. I take it you plan to somehow use the chieftain to free our people of this curse?"

"I plan to."

"In that case, I won't be the one to stop you." Firetusk allowed himself to be tightly roped up and stored away safely inside one of the rooms that you could reach from the central chamber.

While they were busy with the Warlord, Nielak couldn't help himself and asked Talgrun, "So how can it be that your still alive?!"

"Uhm, very long story very short, I took a very long way around to get to Thrall's forces. I could ask you the same thing, what happened to you after we got separated in that damned forest?"

"Played a bit of cat and mouse with the satyr and then made it back to Grom's force. Sort of as a reward, he granted me the position of honour guard."

"The things they promote people for these days." In the very short moment of silence that followed, Nielak saw a troll climbing the stairs towards Grom's chambers and then coming back down to tell Thrall there was a locked door up there. "I went by your home, but you weren't there, only Jirina sitting at the table and Adonai shouting at her."

"so I _did_ see you!" Nielak almost cried out, but managed to keep his voice low. "Had the sun almost set when you came by?" Talgrun nodded. "I was in the back room with Adonai, dressing him up. He's got a girl now, you know." He felt was beginning to get carried away in his enthusiasm.

"Truly? So how's Jirina, she looked a bit, I don't know. . ."

". . .Pregnant." Nielak finished for him.

"Again?" Nielak nodded. "you two just keep busy, don't you?"

"Hey! This be gonna take all night or somethin'?" The troll which had gone up the stairs asked sharply. "You be havin' plenty o' time latah'. We be havin' a job to do." The troll looked sharply at Nielak and asked. "You be havin' the key to dat locked door up there?"

"I do."

"Great!" Thrall exclaimed. "So far everything is going better than expected. Now that we have that key we can just walk in there and get Grom."

"Uhm, it's not that simple. There is doomguard permanently guarding that door from the other side and there are probably four more guards inside." Nielak warned. "But you could have gotten the key from any of the other honour guards, they have them to." Immediately Thrall ordered one of his warriors to get one of those keys. "Oh, and I doubt Grom is just coming with you willingly. . ."

"Don't worry about that." Thrall showed a dark orb. "This will take care of that." It seemed unlikely to Nielak that such a small thing would be able to stop Grom. "Than it is now time for the second to last part that we still have to do. You two. . ." Thrall pointed at both Nielak and Talgrun. "You're going inside to get Grom's attention and keep it away from that door for a while. Then the rest of us will come in and take care of the guards."

"Very well." Talgrun said, and then turned around and slowly climbed the stairs.

"I think I was supposed to take the order, I am higher in rank now." Nielak said, not being to serious.

"I think we both fall slightly outside of the chain of command right now."

"Maybe, still, I outrank you! Hah!" Nielak said, slightly childishly.

"I _knew _this would happen one day." Talgrun mused.

"You've got some new scars I see." Nielak gestured at Talgrun's face. "You really look ugly now!"

"Come on! It aint that bad."

"You're right, it somehow fits you. Maybe because I have only known you with a whole lot of scars."

"Yeah, scars. . . But not quite this bad in my face." They came upon the last barrier that separated them from a possibly painful death, if the doomguard behind the door was in a bad mood. "So how will we explain our presence if we go in like this?" Talgrun asked.

"How about a little bit of the truth mixed with a bit of something made up? I just say I found you while I hadn't been expecting it at all, which is true, and that you have a rather wondrous story to tell, which is probably true as well."

"Hmm, hmm, sounds alright, but you're putting an awful lot of pressure with me then." Talgrun said, seemingly a bit nervous to go in there and see the chieftain after all this time.

"Oh, come on!" Nielak breathed in and out deeply one last time and then stuck the key inside the lock and turned it, unlocking it. The door opened almost of itself and as usual, the doomguard was standing there. The doomguard skipped inspecting Nielak, having seen him many times before, but gave Talgrun a few careful looks. "Get out of the way!" Nielak said angrily to the demon.

The demon complied with the order immediately, allowing them to pass. Nielak noticed that one of the four guards now curiously looking their way was the honour guard Kel'kan, the one who had gone with Warlord Firetusk and Nielak to raid the human outpost. And it was also Kel'kan who approached them and asked demandingly, "What is the meaning of this? It is past midnight, the chieftain is not having any 'visitors' now."

Nielak now saw as well that the chieftain wasn't in this particular room, but probably in one of the smaller rooms around it. "He might want to see this one, someone who had been thought dead for a long time and has now found his way back to us! Someone the chieftain knows as well!" Nielak explained. He knew that Grom had met Talgrun before, albeit they didn't really know one another, he hoped it was enough to lure Grom to them.

"And who might this one be than?!" Kel'kan asked, this time asking it more of Talgrun than Nielak.

"Senior sergeant Talgrun." Talgrun said instantly, convincingly playing the loyal fel orc.

A voice came from one of the side rooms only moments later. "Talgrun?" It was without a doubt the chieftain's voice. Moments later it was indeed the chieftain who stood before them and was inspecting Talgrun closely. "Talgrun, it is you! Kel'kan, it's alright, I know this one. And I am interested indeed. Wait, before you start, did any of the others survive? That shaman, Krizslak?"

"None of them survived. . ."

"hmm, well, How on Dreanor did you make it then, after more then a month?"

Talgrun started telling his story, all the while, nielak and Talgrun manoeuvred the chieftain away from the door and more to the centre of the room. Although Nielak hated it, Talgrun never had time to finish his story. Somewhere around a centaur raiding party attacking a night-elf camp, Nielak heard a key unlocking the door to the room again, he had closed and locked the door behind him when they had entered. All three of them looked towards the door, two of them knowing what it would be. While the door opened and Grom was intently looking in it's direction, Nielak and Talgrun slowly manoeuvred so they were behind Grom.

The door had first opened a small bit, but then it was flung open as if a battering ram had rammed it while it had been opened. The door smashed into the side of the doomguard's head, which had again bent forward to greet those who would enter with the usual stare. The second after that the dazed doomguard's head was crushed completely by the heavy warhammer belonging to warchief thrall. The doomguard dropped to the ground, blood oozing slowly from it's skull and bits of skull scattering over the floor with bits of flesh trailing them.

"what is the meaning of this?!!" Grom demanded, but didn't wait for an explanation and instead ordered the honour guards to attack the invaders. Both Nielak and Talgrun remained behind Grom and tried to stay out of that one's field of view to not draw his attention. The honour guards were no match for both thrall and several of his best warriors which outnumbered the guards, and were cut down easily. Their broken bodies fell to the ground, Kel'kan being no different.

"Grom, You've got to come with me!" Thrall tried.

"And where would you lead me, boy? Destiny is hand! Lord Mannoroth is our master now!" Grom retorted.

"Who? You're not talking sense!" Thrall said confused. Nielak saw Talgrun looking at him and mouthing the name 'Mannoroth' without saying anything. Nielak just gave him a knowing look.

"Ah, Thrall, you've always believed that the demons corrupted our race. But that's only half true. We gave ourselves up willingly on Dreanor. The other chieftains and I, Thrall, we drank Mannoroth's blood, Thrall! We brought this curse upon ourselves!!" This time it was Talgrun who knew more than Nielak did. It seemed as if all the pieces fell together for Talgrun.

"You did this, to our people, KNOWINGLY?! RARGH!!" Thrall shouted, seemingly angered to the point, at least it seemed to Nielak that way, where Thrall would just skip the original plan and would kill Grom instead. And Thrall didn't seem to come out if it either, when he charged Grom instead of reaching for his little orb that was supposed to take care of Grom.

Before thrall could bring his massive warhammer down on any vital parts of Grom's body, Grom reached for his own axe. Both weapons clashed, with neither of the wielders giving one bit of ground. "You'll have to do better than that, little brother!" Grom taunted.

The two disengaged again and both took a step backwards. "Warchief?!" One of Thrall's warriors started hesitantly, obviously not knowing what to do, just like Nielak had no idea what he should be doing right now.

Grom took a step to his right, ending up right in front of Talgrun. And it seemed that Talgrun did know what to do. Without Grom ever expecting it, Talgrun used his superior bulk and strength to grab Grom's arms and hold the latter in place. "What is the meaning of this?!" Grom demanded as he tried to twist his neck at an impossible angle to see who it was that was holding him. Talgrun didn't give him enough room to do so, and instead tightened his grip so much that it seemed almost impossible to Nielak that the chieftain was going to come out of this without any broken ribs. "RHAR! Let go of me this instant! Traitor!"

Grom fought heavily, trying to use the last bit manoeuvrability in his wrists to hit Talgrun in the legs with the axe. But before he could do so, Nielak finally shot forward and held the chieftain's hand in place. Talgrun's strength was to much to overcome for the chieftain. In the mean time, Thrall seemed to have calmed down somewhat and now saw his chance to go on with the original plan. From a small pocket, Thrall took the orb and 'pointed' it in Grom direction. The orb glowed purple as Thrall spoke words in a language Nielak had never heard before. Grom seemed to have stopped all attempts to break free and was now staring at the slightly glowing orb. A purple glow began emanating from Grom now as well.

To Nielak it was the sign to let go of Grom's hand. The hand made not one move to try to hit Talgrun with the axe. Talgrun noticed it as well and let go. The both of them stepped away from the ever more intense glowing Grom. With a last flash of purple energy and a thunderous sound, Grom was sucked into the orb. For a few seconds it was as if everything stood still, not one sound was heard, except the heavy breathing of those present. _That went a little better than I thought it would. _Nielak thought to himself.

In the moments that followed, nobody seemed sure of what to do now. . . Nielak listened closely for any sounds that might betray the Warsong clan gathering outside the stronghold to charge inside and get their chieftain back. There were none of those sounds, just silence.

"Now that we have Grom, we can make our way out of here." Thrall said, with his words finally spurring some activity. The dead honour guards were lain out of sight, although the blood on the ground would still give away what had happened there. They went downstairs and to prepare for departure.

"So, what do we do now?" Talgrun asked Nielak.

"What do you mean?" Nielak replied with a question.

"Well, are you going to come with us, or are you going to stay?"

The question caught Thrall's attention and this one said, "He'll come with us, I suspect the rest of the clan would immediately realize his part in this, once they figured what happened." Nielak figured he wouldn't have that much of a problem with it all. He wasn't even scheduled to be at the stronghold this night. And the only ones who did know he was there were Jirina, possibly his kids and Warlord Firetusk, each one he trusted enough to keep quiet. He didn't say it, though. He wanted to go with Talgrun and the warchief to see what was going to happen next.

"Then I will do that." Nielak said to Talgrun.

Both Talgrun and Nielak went outside to see if there were any patrols currently around the stronghold, but there weren't. Nielak only saw several either dead, or thoroughly bound and gagged honour guards lying in the shadows. When they gave the signal that it was save to make an attempt to reach the edge of the forest unseen, the others came out as well and they snuck through the village.

Both the darkness and the fact that only the patrols were on the outer rim of the village helped greatly. They reached the outer edge unseen, only one last small group of night guards barred their path. The guards still weren't a real challenge, each one of them had their backs to them and were easily surprised. After a short trip through the forest they reached a cliff wall with ropes ready to climb up. Still nobody in the Warsong village had noticed them. _I don't think any of them will be able to stop us now. . . But still, this is going to well. That you can fool those guardsmen, I can believe that. But someone else would notice, something, else._

They made their way through the forest to, what Nielak was told, was a second backup group of humans and dwarves, which would have their mounts ready. Just after Talgrun told him they were almost there, Nielak noticed the sky was changing. Although it might be nearing sunrise, it wasn't quite that time yet. Still, the sky reddened. Or more like, the clouds became red. The air thickened and began feeling oppressive. Still nothing had happened when their group came a small clearing where several humans, two dwarves and two tauren were waiting for them. He was sort of surprised to see the tauren, especially the huge one. He hadn't figured there would be tauren on a mission that relied on stealth, but then again, they were in the backup group. Nielak felt a slight urge rising in him that told him that these humans were there to be slaughtered. As much as he wanted to give into it, he resisted the urge.

Thrall was approached by a human dressed fully in plate-mail, who asked something in common, which Nielak couldn't understand. Another human walked up to them, this one approached Talgrun. One of the dwarves and the two tauren trailed him. Surprisingly in orcish the human asked, "So, Talgrun, how did it go? I don't see any of you missing."

"It went better than great, none of us were hurt and we got Grom!"

"Were any of the Warsong hurt?" One of the tauren, a small female, asked almost concerned.

"A few, but less than we had expected."

Nielak noticed that the dwarf was eyeing him with hatred, not even trying to hide it. The human noticed him as well, momentarily had disgusted look in his eyes as he looked upon Nielak, but then did an adequate job of hiding it. "And who is this? I remember only one fel orc going on this mission, and now I see two."

"Nielak." Talgrun answered. "I have known him almost since I broke out of the internment camp. And I thought he had been dead for a month. Imagine my surprise!" Nielak was surprised of the apparent friendliness with which the two spoke, although he did notice there was a certain amount of tension, as if they, especially the human, were uncomfortable with each other.

"I think I heard you talk about him once. Well," The human turned to Nielak. "I am William. And they. . ." The human called William started pointing at the tauren and the dwarf behind him. ". . .are Björn, Walken and Ysondra."

But any further they didn't come. Lightning flashed through the sky and almost immediately the thunder was heard. The sky had reddened and brightened until it was almost crimson red. More lightning flashed through the sky and more deafening thunder rolled through the forest. The clouds swirled around a central spot in the sky and in the middle a green/yellow light burned brightly.

Nielak heard warchief Thrall call out, "This is no natural storm! Blessed ancestors! Everyone BRACE YOURSELF!" The moment these last words left the war chief's mouth, two massive burning boulders fell from the sky. They burned bright green fire and as they went down a piercing scream was heard. _So it isn't going to be that easy_. Nielak thought to himself just before the two boulders smashed into the ground in the middle of the clearing.

* * *

The two boulders hit the ground so fast that they instantly created craters where they hit. Green fire burned bright from the craters. Fortunately nobody had been crushed underneath them. But those two boulders were not the end of their troubles, neither were they really the beginning. From the two craters arose two gigantic humanoid forms made of burning boulders, the only thing seemingly holding the boulders together was the fire. The fire burned bright green and even from the bit of distance Talgrun had, he could clearly feel the heat. The infernals rose to their full height that easily stood a couple of times higher than even the already massive Walken. From what were apparently shoulders, two thick arms stretched. On top of it all was a tiny head which seemed almost unnecessary.

Besides roaring loud, once, the two infernals didn't do anything. A glow appeared in between the infernals. It expanded until it were slightly higher than Talgrun. The glow began taking a more humanoid shape until it finally wasn't a glow anymore. What stood where there used to be the glow, was a demon.

"Oh, damn it! Dethrox!" Nielak warned. "A dreadlord." The dreadlord's name seemed to be aptly chosen to Talgrun. The pale visage and long horns weren't exactly inviting.

"So, you thought you could just walk out without anybody noticing you? You should have known that Mannoroth doesn't leave his pawns unwatched." The dreadlord said loudly, but sounding civilized at the same time, as he stepped closer to Thrall, knowing exactly who to be addressing. "Now hand over the soulstone and I'll consider letting you live." Dethrox gestured at the pair of infernals to make his point. "There is no point in resisting!" After those last words, more demons suddenly flashed into being near the dreadlord, four dozen doomguards and fellhounds. Apparently the dreadlord had at least taken part in the summoning, for he seemed drained somewhat just after the demons had appeared, although it didn't last very long.

"Your only interest in the Warsong clan is having another expansion of your legion." Thrall countered. "I will not hand Grom over, even if it kills me."

"Why do you think taking Grom away from his clan will help you win the battle, if I may ask? Do you think it will somehow harm Lord Mannoroth's ability to control the clan? We don't _need_ Grom, he just makes it simpler for us. So just hand him over now or I am going to have to make an effort for it."

"Grom knows ways to free the clan, that's why I need him!" Thrall shouted back at the dreadlord. Dethrox seemed somewhat fazed by that last statement, as if he hadn't been expecting that had been the reason for capturing Grom. It also gave Talgrun a bit of hope that Grom might after all know a way to free the clan.

While Dethrox and Thrall had been arguing, Talgrun had slowly stepped closer to Thrall. If they tried to run, the demons would be faster, he would need to buy Thrall some time to get back to the base. Despite it being obvious what needed to be done, neither Thrall nor anybody else had proposed it yet. So he did. "If most of us stay behind to ward of the demons, _you_ might have enough time to get back to the base." Talgrun whispered to Thrall.

"It would be suicide, they outnumber us." thrall countered.

Talgrun gave him a weak smile and said, "In war, sacrifices have to be made." Talgrun knew that most of the other orcs were far higher in rank than he was, but none of them seemed to have been ready to propose it. Most were young and would still have many years ahead of them. "And it would mean that a lot of others may be saved."

"Alright!" Thrall didn't seem one bit to happy about it. He turned to the duke/paladin and said, "We're leaving the men here to keep them busy, we'll be going back to the base."

Against what Talgrun had thought the duke would say, the duke said, "I will stay here, to lead my men. They however," The duke pointed at two of his soldiers. ". . .Will protect you on your way back to the camp.

"Very well!" Thrall wasted no time to get his wolf mount, but just before he rode of with the two humans, he rode up to Talgrun and said, "Do try to make it out of this, I could use all the orcs like you I can get."

"Will try!" Talgrun said and then turned to the demons, who had not just been waiting for Thrall to leave. Instead of the four dozen demons, there were now at least seven dozen. That made thirty nine of them against at least eighty demons, with the dreadlord summoning even more. Talgrun realized that this was a powerful dreadlord indeed.

Thrall had already ridden of with the two humans in tow when Nielak stepped up to him and said, "You do realize that you probably doomed us all with that proposal?"

"I do."

"Good, that takes away one worry" Nielak said with not just a little bit of sarcasm.

"Form up!" Duke Derrington shouted at his men. "Get your lazy asses moving! Form a line!" Derrington shouted as if it were a field exercise instead of what was probably going to end in a slaughter. Both William and Björn took their places a little to the duke's right side.

When none of the orc officers tried to do the same thing as Derrington for the orcs, trolls and tauren, Talgrun felt he needed to do it. "Come on, make a line! You wanna go down before those humans and dwarves go down?!!" Talgrun shouted at them. It had the desired effect, they lined up besides the humans and dwarves. Nielak stood besides him, as he had expected him to. Walken and Ysondra went all the way to the left, making it almost certain to Talgrun that they would be trying to bring down the infernal which stood across from them on the other side of the clearing. Ayo took up a position near the two tauren, Talgrun expected him to disappear into the shadows and try to attack the demons from behind.

The demons formed up as well, although the demon's formation wasn't nearly as straight as theirs. Just before either side charged, Talgrun looked to his left and right, to see the men and women that were probably going to die this early morning. He saw several of the humans voicing a short prayer, but all of them, Talgrun saw, had seen at least one battle before, he had a way of recognising that in people. He saw there was a mage present as well, he hadn't noticed that before. The mage was clearly preparing some sort of spell, around his hand orbs of blue energy glowed.

Dethrox seemed to have finished summoning demons, making him actually look exhausted for a moment. It was doubtful that Dethrox had summoned them all by himself, maybe they had already been ready for transportation and Dethrox was just a sort of beacon. Now even more demons stood there, on the other side of the clearing, more than he cared to count. They were outnumbered greatly, that was all he needed to know right now.

Absolute silence reigned supreme. Neither of the sides made a move, waiting for the other to make the first one. Talgrun tried to stall it as long as possible. But it didn't last for long. With a mighty roar, Dethrox ordered his minions to attack. One second later, both Derrington and Talgrun did the same. Both sides charged the other. The roars of their leaders taken over by those under their command. Swords, axes, spears, bows, guns, claws and burning fists were raised and ready to be unleashed upon their opponents. The rage build within Talgrun's stomach, desiring to be unleashed. He wouldn't let it, or at least not yet.

To his right, Talgrun saw that the mage had halted his pace and had unleashed the chilling bolt of frost from his hands. The bolt soared towards one of the infernals. The bolt made the infernal stagger as it's flames were unable to thaw the bolt of frost. It's flames dimmed as the cold took over and slowly overcame the infernal. More bolts of frost impacted as the mage continued to pour his magic into the infernal, these bolts were a lot weaker than the first though. Still, the cold spread of the infernal's fiery body. Finally the flames had been doused by the continuous impacting of frostbolts and only boulders crashed to the ground below, crushing an unsuspecting fellhound. Although that evened the odds a little bit, the mage had been exhausted and wouldn't be capable of much more. Still, it was one infernal less to worry about.

Björn and the other dwarf had halted just like the mage and were firing their guns and reloading them afterwards. One bullet at a time they shot at the horde of demons.

To his left he saw that Ayo had disappeared, probably to only appear again when he choose to.

The one thin line and the one much thicker line crashed into one another, and in that one second thirty-eight lost their lives, most of which were demons. The lines instantly dissolved, only utter chaos remained. The reason why these men and women had been picked became obvious quickly, they had experience and were not afraid to use that experience to their advantage.

But one by one they fell before the far greater numbers of the demons. Even while Talgrun split the head of a fellhound in two, he saw someone in front of him be nearly cut in half at the waist by the flaming sword of a doomguard. Stepping over the dead fellhound he engaged the doomguard. His axe clashed with the doomguard's flaming blade, and then their weapons clashed again. The doomguard managed to cut through Talgrun chest armour with the tip of it's sword, but it barely drew blood as only the skin had been pierced and nothing beneath it. The next time the doomguard attacked, Talgrun dodged and then, with a short sprint, managed get the doomguard's upper torso and head within the reach of his axe. From there on, it didn't take very long for him to finish the doomguard before the doomguard could bring his heavy sword into play. Blood pumped out of several deep cuts after his axe had hit multiple times.

When he searched for his next opponent he had a brief moment to see across the clearing, the ground of which had already become a bit slippery because of all the blood. The second and last infernal seemed to have several bits of stone missing, probably the result of Walken's massive hammer impacting. Even now that hammer cracked one boulder and dislocated another, but around the infernal lay several bodies of orcs who had died trying to take the infernal down. Ysondra was still there as well, patching up wounded orcs best she could, either with her magic or her herbs and potions.

Nielak seemed to be holding himself at least for the moment, thick armour plating protecting from almost anything the fellbeasts could throw at him, only the sharp blades of the doomguard would be a threat to him.

Björn was at the edge of the battlefield, pumping shots into any demon that dared get close, together with the other dwarf who also used a gun. It took a long time to reload, but when they shot, it was devastating to the recipient. William was keeping the dwarves save by at least holding of the demons until Björn or the other dwarf could take another shot. Derrington was near them as well, organising his men best he could. His efforts didn't amount to much, though, the deafening noise of the demons' continues roar drowned out most his words.

A roar from behind Talgrun told him he had let his thoughts drift to much. Only barely was he capable of warding of the doomguard's sword. With the next attack the doomguard tried to impale him on the sword. Talgrun tried to get out the way and, although the sword cut deeply into Talgrun's side, it was laughable compared to what would have happened had the sword actually impaled him. Still, blood began pumping from the wound and pain announced itself. Not long after, though, the pain was drowned out by the rage in his stomach demanding to be let out again.

This time he let it and used it against the doomguard, barely capable of directing the anger at the doomguard. Roaring loud he charged the doomguard, a red haze covering everything he saw. The sword cut him again, but it was only a small cut compared to the previous one. With all his strength, and some strength he didn't know he had, he grabbed the doomguard's sword by the hilt, tore the sword from it's hands, threw the sword away, and then swung his axe. The axe tore through the armour this doomguard was wearing, but didn't stop at just the armour. It went on to crush, rip and snap bones, ribs and muscles. Again the axe impacted, the axe's head disappearing fully into the doomguard's body. Blood pumped out of it's wounds. It stood, putting all it's efforts into trying to stay upright, axe and all still buried in it's chest, until it finally collapsed.

Talgrun tore the axe free from his last kill and roared in victory. The rage ebbed away again, slightly. The pain from his side reached him again. He looked down at his side and saw it was more grievous than he thought it had been. "Hold still!" Someone said in common. Hands touched his wounded side. Moments later a soothing sensation spread from the wound. When it had left again, the pain was gone as well. Talgrun looked, but the wound was gone. He looked up at the one who healed him and saw it was Derrington. The last person he expected to heal an orc, a paladin, had just healed him. "Noticed you had a problem." Derrington said quickly to explain himself.

Talgrun nodded, the signal for Derrington to turn around and get back to the rest of his men, which he had apparently managed to form up in a loose formation. Talgrun turned around to seek his next target and saw the second infernal was falling down, many more pieces of it missing. It had finally succumbed to the increasing amount of missing pieces.

He saw Nielak had fallen down and a fellhound on top of him, trying to bite his head of, but he used two hands to keep the fiend at a distance. After a short sprint he was at his friend's side, just in time to kick the fellhound in the ribs, sending the smaller creature flying. He helped Nielak up and shouted at him, above the noise of the battle, "There's no time for hugging, come on!" Slowly the amount of fighters on the battlefield was decreasing. The humans and dwarves had been reduced to the small group that was centred around the two dwarves, and now the mage as well, counting seven in total.

Talgrun saw Ayo was just ahead of him. The troll he had come to like in the short time he had known him seemed to be engaged in his last battle. Two fellhounds and one doomguard had him surrounded, his stealth tactics unable to help him now. Already multiple wounds were pumping out blood, there even was a chunk of his right calve missing, the result of the bite of a fellhound. Before they could reached the battle-scarred troll, Ayo took his last jump away from the maw of one the fellhounds, despite his damaged leg, which had been going for another bite out of one of Ayo's legs. With a swipe of his weapon in midair, ayo managed to take a chunk out of the same fellhound's shoulder. What he hadn't anticipated, though, was that the doomguard hit the soaring Ayo in midair with it's sword. The troll was dead before he even hit the ground, his chest taking a direct hit from the doomguard's flaming sword.

The fellhounds and the doomguard went on to other targets. Talgrun looked at the dead visage of Ayo for a moment. The few memories he had of him flashed through his mind, but he interrupted half-way through them. Nielak rammed into him, pushing him to the ground. Only barely did Talgrun see a clawed hand swooping through the area where he had stood just one moment ago. The claw belonged to Dethrox. Wasting no time, both Nielak and Talgrun got back on their feet to face the dreadlord. Blood from the dreadlord's previous victims dripped of the dreadlord's long claws. "Are you ready to die!?" Dethrox shouted at them, his accent no longer sounding as civilized as before.

"After you!" Nielak shouted back, and then charged the dreadlord. Talgrun charged as well, but both of their weapons were deftly deflected. Nielak had to bring his axe around before he could attack again, but Talgrun attacked immediately again. Instead of stepping aside or being hit by the axe, Dethrox grabbed the hilt of the axe, stopping it instantly. His other free hand formed a fist and smashed into Talgrun's jaw. Before it had even registered with him that he was soaring through the air, he had hit a tree and had slumped to the ground. His jaw felt as if it had been dislocated and the back of his head as if it had rammed into something by the time he was aware of himself again. It took a while to get through to his dazed mind that both feelings were true.

His limbs felt numb, he couldn't move them. The only thing that seemed to respond were his eyes. Desperately he tried to move something, anything, but nothing would. He could only watch as he saw Nielak losing ground against Dethrox. elsewhere the battle still went on. He saw Derrington get cut down, throat sliced open. He couldn't find the mage anywhere, neither could he find the second dwarf.

An awfully familiar scream demanded his attention. His eyes flickered back to his friend. Each one of the claws on Dethrox's left hand had disappeared in Nielak's chest, they exited through Nielak's back. _No, no no no, not now! _Talgrun saw Dethrox right claw pierce straight through Nielak's thick plate armour and exit through the back as well, causing a small spray of blood upon exiting through the back. Desperately Talgrun tried to move, but so far he only succeeded in moving a few fingers. _Come on damnit! MOVE!_

Dethrox retracted his left and with his right threw Nielak away with force, making him land somewhere near Talgrun. The dreadlord snorted and started to move slowly towards his next victim. _NIELAK! _Finally his limbs would move as he wanted them to. He crawled towards Nielak, who wasn't dead quite yet. Already his friend was coughing up blood. "Hold on, I'll get someone for you!" He shouted to him. Nielak just shook his head. "What!? No, I'll get you ou--"

Without waiting for Talgrun to finish, Nielak said, gurgled, "Just. . . tell Jiri--"

But now Talgrun wouldn't let him finish "No, don't start like that! I--"

"SHUT UP! And listen to me!" Nielak shouted at him, emptying his lungs with it, causing him to need to breath in again. It was visibly painful. Talgrun fell silent and listened. "Just tell. . . Jirina, that I. . . Tried to. . . do _something_. She knows. . . What that means." Nielak had to pause and cough many times, each time blood came with it, but he finished in the end. "Something, she and I. . . Talked about, often. . ." For a moment it seemed Nielak wouldn't say anything else, but then, "Make them pay." The last words he uttered uninterrupted and full of anger, but after that Nielak said no more words, but not all strength had left him yet. Desperately he tried to hang on to his breath, until he finally couldn't anymore. As Talgrun had to witness many times before, the head sagged to the side and the last breath of air escaped.

_They WILL pay, he will pay! _He looked towards Dethrox. He retrieved his axe, checked whether there were any demons nearby, saw none nearby, and started to sprint towards Dethrox, strength fully returning to him in force. The pain in his head vanished. Red flooded his vision. Rage build, and was released just before he reached Dethrox. A roar louder than any he had uttered before echoed through the forest. Dethrox was already turning around, somehow sensing he was coming, but not fast enough to prevent any harm done.

Talgrun's axe came down, cut straight through the demon's right horn, and slashed through part of Dethrox's right cheekbone. Going further down the axe cut open part of Dethrox's chest, not going through bone, but ripping through plenty of muscles. The axe's first arc end there, but Talgrun brought it around again and tried again. This time Dethrox had the time, albeit barely, to catch the axe by the hilt with his left hand, again. At the same time, Dethox threw the axe away with his left hand, and with his right grabbed Talgrun by the throat.

Dethrox was visibly straining against the pain in his chest, but so far it didn't hinder his ability to keep Talgrun in the air with just one hand. Dethrox's hand fit snugly around his throat, exerting pressure which increased steadily. With his left, Talgrun attempted to pry Dethrox's hand loose, however futile that might be. But with his right, he smashed into Dethrox's side. The dreadlord's free hand closed around Talgrun's free arm, and restrained it from doing anything but twitch. "And the point of this was?" The dreadlord said to him arrogantly.

The dreadlord's arrogant tone further enraged Talgrun, his vision narrowed upon the dreadlord, nothing else existed anymore. No longer he cared about the hand around his neck slowly making him dizzy from lack of air. He strained his right arm to point that he felt his muscled almost ripping apart. Almost. It was sufficient. Dethrox's grip faltered and Talgrun's hand smashed the exact same spot on Dethrox's side he had hit before. He didn't stop there, again he hit the same spot. He felt something break inside Dethrox, a rib probably. He hit again and felt another one break, and another. Finally Dethorx let go of him, and weakly pushed him away, only enough to make him stumble, but not fall.

Dethrox tenderly touched his side and immediately retracted the hand when he found it painful. "Look around you! You're almost the last one left!" Dethrox said, the civilized accent dripping from his voic, while trying to get his breath back. Talgrun let him, finding out he had almost past out from lack of air just before being let go. "You have only sealed your own death the moment you attempted this!"

"Knowingly!" Talgrun shouted back, still panting, and feeling like he would be for quite some time. "Look at the sky!" Dethorx did it, and saw that light was beginning to creep across the sky, a sign of the sun coming up. "Thrall is about halfway back to the camp by now, with Grom!"

"You sacrificed yourself! Willingly!?!" This time it was Dethrox loosing control. His voice was no longer civilized, but had deepened and sounded purely evil.

Talgrun stood up, straightened up to his full height, making him actually somewhat taller than Dethrox. "Absolutely!" Talgrun uttered simply, but defying.

Talgrun only saw what happened next in a daze. Dethrox stepped forward, roared angrily, slashed across Talgrun's face with his left, then hit with a closed right fist. The slash was almost useless, only creating three deep, cuts across Talgrun's left cheek. The fist, though, smashed the same area, causing the only just formed cuts to rip further. Talgrun only barely kept his footing, but the Dethrox's left hand coming around again as a fist to pound into Talgrun's stomach, sending him flying. Again he hit a tree, much harder this time. He felt the tree break, it was not one of those truly thick trees, in half as he crashed through it. His consciousness failed him and he slipped away into darkness. The red, which had previously drenched his vision, was now replaced with darkness. The last thing he saw before completely blacking out, was Dethrox roaring something at his demon minions. Only blackness followed.

* * *

In his sleep, if you could call it that, he saw flashes what things could have been like. Walking into Nielak's house together, greeting Jirina and their children. Eating meals together with his family. Together being congratulated by Thrall on their achievement at keeping the demons at bay. Grom thanking them for their part in restoring him to his former self. In short, relatively happy things.

It didn't take long for the images to change. From a happy reunion of father and children, it became Talgrun having to tell the children that their father had died. Burials followed. Reliving the moment of Nielak's death again after that.

Death followed, a lot of it, yet he always managed to survive, somehow. Battles which he had never fought, but he knew he had yet to fight, followed. Again he didn't die, but his younger companions did, die. He found himself telling many more loved ones of those who had died that their son, daughter, mate, mother or father had died. The devastation that imprinted itself in those left behind, he felt in full.

In the end he felt himself whishing for death, to finally be rid of his burden to continually outlive everybody he had ever known. Next he found himself mourning over those that had almost the same problem. William, who had outlived his share of younger companions, lay dead at his feet. He outlived those who normally survived where others didn't, eventually leaving him as the last, standing lonely upon devastated battlefields, witnessing the mass graves and piles of ritually burned corpses. He outlived his leaders, Thrall, Grom.

Until he finally stood as the last living being, going about his business, slowly going mad of loneliness.

* * *

He awoke, his eyes opened and were greeted by a flash of light, forcing them shut again. Moments later thunder followed. Opening his eyes again, everything was blurry. He had no idea what time of day it was. His head pounded. His ribs felt as if they had broken, each one of them. His lungs felt as if they had been ripped through his throat and then put back again, his throat felt like that as well. Everything else was numb. Cold rain splashed upon his face, convincing him that he was facing upward. He felt something wet drip into his mouth, even though he had his mouth closed. Something warm dripped onto his tongue, slowly he recognised it was blood. Drowsy as he was, he tried to feel around inside his mouth with his tongue. Coming upon his left cheek, he felt three long gashes on the inside.

Memories of what had happened slowly came back to him. He remembered receiving slashes upon that cheek and then feeling them rip further. After what seemed like hours his now incredibly slow mind concluded that the gashes had ripped through the cheek and now connected the inside of his mouth with the air outside. The fact that it hurt incredibly when he tried to move his lower jaw only confirmed it, muscles which controlled the lower jaw being ripped at least partly. Slowly he wondered to himself. _Am I being tortured somehow? or am I just being incredibly stubborn when I am supposed to die? _

In slow-motion he watch the rain fall slowly upon his eyes, lacking the strength to blink when the drops hit his eyes, for a long time, whishing for some remnants of strength to return to him.

Suddenly, before he noticed it was there, something blocked the rain from falling upon his face. He wished it would go away, liking the cold feeling of the rain. Slowly he noticed he were now staring at something black with an almost silvery rim around it. Through his blurry vision he couldn't quite make out what it was. Another flash of light made him colse his eyes, somehow finding the strength to do so, thunder followed barely a second later, marking the lightning to be very close by.

When he opened his eyes again, the silvery rim with black moves upwards and showed it was merely the tip of something long and equally silvery. Slowly his vision focused and he saw that it wasn't silver he saw, but iron or steel. The iron/steel thing moved out of his vision, but was replaced by something definitely more lively than metal. A pink, bruised, face filled his vision. A long wet beard decorated the bottom part of the face and a hood the top part, obscuring the face for the most part. The thick-fingered hand removed the hood so the wearer could look at Talgrun more closely.

He recognised the face as belonging to the dwarf Björn. Even though he disliked the dwarf immensely most of the time, now he was thankful for seeing him. His mind slowly began working properly again. _If Björn's alive, others might be alive as well and the demons are gone. _He still couldn't utter a word, though. His mind might be working better now, but his body certainly didn't feel any better.

Against his silent wishes, Björn's face vanished from his vision, but with the sense he had developed while temporarily blind he knew Björn was still standing near him. He heard Björn call out for William. _William! _With his renewed hope he managed to twitch his right index finger, not much, but still something.

After a few seconds, in which he managed to twitch more fingers, William appeared in his increasingly good vision. William kneeled besides him and seemingly inspected his wounds. "Can you hear me?" William called to him. His voice seemed distant, even though it originated mere inches from Talgrun's ears. Unable to speak, Talgrun managed to blink several times and then hoped that William recognised the signs he was at least conscious.

William did notice and now said, "Can you move your arms?" Upon William's request, Talgrun slowly tried to move his left arm, concentrating all of his efforts into it. First it twitched, causing Björn to call out that he saw it happen. Next it moved more controllably. Moving on to other limbs, they all moved as he desired after a while. After what seemed like hours of trying to make everything move, he was able to sit up. "You're lucky to be alive." William commented when he sat up straight against a log, which he recalled belonged to the tree he crashed through just before losing consciousness.

_Lucky? I don't feel very lucky. . . _He didn't say that though. Instead, he recalled who threw him against that tree, and what had been going on just before that. "What. . ." It hurt when he spoke, both in his throat and his cheek. "What happened. Where did the demons go?" He asked.

"Just after I saw that dreadlord throwing you away, they just turned and left in a hurry. I thought you were dead for sure, that looked like a sturdy tree from where I was standing, but he threw you through it as if it were nothing." William seemed happy to see him alive, but Talgrun didn't feel quite as happy, nor did feel anything positive yet.

The sight of Nielak dying passed through his vision and remained in the back of his mind, even if he tried to push it away. He pushed himself up into a standing position and wanted to walk over to Nielak's body, to see if he were really dead and he hadn't just imagined it. But his balance failed him, only barely could he keep standing through intense effort, but walking was impossible. Without needing to be asked, William supported him, guiding him towards Nielak. Nielak lay there as he had remembered, only completely soaked in water now.

It was now that he for the first time really noticed something was very different, both about himself and Nielak. The skin colour, it was it's old green self. No longer was there an urge to kill and destroy. That feeling had left a void behind, an emptiness he couldn't quite define. Momentarily that emptiness was filled, though. _Grom! You did it! It is gone! No more demonic curse! _It didn't last, though. The sight of the dead Nielak hollowed him out again.

He fell down on his knees besides Nielak's corpse. He couldn't tell whether he were crying, the raindrops concealed that. He felt like it though and he didn't care if he were. _To often have I gone through this! _"Don't worry, I will tell Jirina. I didn't forget." He muttered to his dead friend. A few seconds after that he added, "And they _will _pay. That dreadlord _will_ pay! No matter how long it takes me." He felt a hand come down on his shoulder. He looked up at William, who gave him an understanding look.

"We should check the rest of the bodies for any other wounded." William said, not once noting the difference in skin colour and the probable absence of the burning red eyes. Talgrun noticed Björn was already on his way, probably to check the bodies for wounded and take care of any wounded demons.

"How many are still alive?" Talgrun asked gruffly, his throat slowly starting to feel better, but the cheek only feeling like it was going to rip further.

"If no more wounded are found. . . You, me, Björn, that big tauren, Walken, two other orcs and one other human. Derrington is dead."

"Ysondra?" Talgrun asked, fearing for Walken, whom he had come to like the past few days.

"I have seen her, she's dead. Walken's pretty banged up himself. Not just physically."

For the first time Talgrun heard a distinct sound. One he had never heard before. It sounded a bit like something he had heard before, but it was a very different tone. There was someone crying. Crying loudly. Talgrun stood up his after one more look at Nielak, his balance somewhat better now, and asked. "Where's that coming from?" He couldn't quite make out where it came from.

"I suspect that way." William said, and pointed of in the direction where Talgrun saw a lot bodies on the ground. "But I wouldn't go that way if I were you."

Without listening to William's advice, Talgrun started walking, needing to hold on to trees every now and then. A gunshot interrupted his pace and he nearly fell over, but he managed to hang on to a tree. The gunshot probably came from Björn, who had discovered a wounded demon. William was at his side in moments attempting to support him, but he pushed him away. "I can walk by myself." he said stubbornly.

He found his own recovery remarkable. By the time he reached the source of the sound, he could walk again without needing to hang on to something. He saw that the source of the crying sound was Walken. The last one he imagined to breakdown in tears, a massive tauren, cried as he held the dead Ysondra in his arms. A demon had ripped her back open, blood still dripped from the wound. Every couple of seconds the crying stopped and Walken spoke a few words in his own native language. Walken himself was indeed injured as well. Long lacerations decorated his chest, his one already broken horn had another chunk missing and his left lower arm looked as if a fellhound had been chewing upon it.

Walken noticed his presence and looked up. "She is dead." Walken confirmed. "Demon caught her in the back." None of the sadness came through in his voice, it bordered more on anger than sadness. "She was twenty-six!" Gently the tauren lay Ysondra on the ground and walked up to Talgrun. "Twenty-six and killed in a battle to help some orc deliver a little orb somewhere!" Walken now stood so close that Talgrun could see exactly see how deep the lacerations on the first's chest were. "All because of YOU!" Anger now dominated his voice. In one swoop Walken picked Talgrun up with one hand by the neck and squeezed hard. "YOU killed her! YOU HEAR ME!! You just had to suggest we stay and fight!" Walken's grip was many times tighter than Dethrox's ever was.

With all the strength he could summon in his arms, Talgrun pulled Walken's fingers apart just enough for Talgrun to say. "You think I like it? I lost my best friend!" Their eyes met, the rest of the argument was completed, not with words, but glances. Walken's grip faltered and Talgrun fell to the ground. Rubbing his throat, he said afterwards, "And if we hadn't done this we would all be dead if we all tried to flee towards the base, they would have intercepted us anyway." Walken nodded once in understanding and then went back to Ysondra's body, to resume his mourning. Now the words Walken spoke were more like he was chanting something. "Thanks for the help by the way." Talgrun said gruffly to William, who had been standing only a few feet away through the whole thing.

"What did you expect me to do against a tauren his size?"

Talgrun walked closer to Walken and after taking a look at Ysondra's face, she didn't have a look of pain on her face, said, "We should be leaving soon, Thrall might be wondering what has happened here."

Walken momentarily interrupted his chanting to say, "I am performing a ritual, it won't take long." And then resumed his chanting.

Talgrun heard another gunshot, signalling the end of another wounded demon.

William walked of towards where Talgrun saw the only surviving human, Talgrun recognised it was the mage. Somehow the mage had survived. The mage sat on a tree trunk, staring ahead of him. The human seemed to have no visible wounds, so Talgrun paid him no further attention. Instead he started looking for their mounts. He knew they had been tied up somewhere nearby so they wouldn't walk of. On his way to the mounts, he saw the two other surviving orcs. One was administering to the others wounds with a primitive bandage.

He found the mounts, or at least what was left of them. Body parts lay everywhere. All horses were dead, only a few of the wolves were still alive. They had managed to chew through their bindings and had defended themselves against the demons. Two doomguards lay dead with gashes all over them. He recognised one of the blood covered wolves running towards him. The wolf he had ridden to get here, Sasha. The other wolves followed her. He patted Sasha on the head and then lead the wolves back to the others. There were enough wolves for everyone to be able to ride, except Walken because of his immense mass.

He rejoined William, who told him that they had checked all the bodies and hadn't found anymore wounded. One of the orc survivors, a young female, approached him and said, awfully respectful, "If you'd allow me, I could stitch that up for you until we can get back to the camp." She pointed at his cheek.

"that would be great." His voice held not a single emotion. From a small pocket she produced a long thick thread and a thick needle. With them she started stitching the long gashes up. There was no doubt for him that the gashes would become thick scars as had many of his previous injuries, but the thick needle had to go all the way through the cheek many times to stitch the gashes up properly, it was probably going to leave some scars as well, even if it were healed properly when they got back to the camp.

At one point she had asked him how he had survived hitting the tree, he had answered that he didn't know and just blamed it on stubbornness. But he heard a definite tone of respect in her voice every time she spoke to him. When he asked her about it, she just said that she actually saw him crashing into the tree and saw how the tree had cracked as if it had been a toothpick. Talgrun looked back towards the tree she had spoken of and saw why she could respect him surviving the impact. The tree might not have been one of those massive Ashenvale giants, or at least wasn't yet, but, had it still been intact, it would have been quite a tree. He looked at the top part of the tree, which lay on the ground. For a moment he doubted how he could possibly have survived impacting it, let alone not break any bones.

By the time the stitches were done, the rain had stopped. After a few quick lessons in wolfriding, William managed to sit on top of one and commented it wasn't to different from a horse when you're actually on top of one. Björn took a seat behind William, claiming he didn't trust the wolves enough to be riding one alone.

"We will be coming back for the bodies. . ." Talgrun said, when he saw Walken approaching with Ysondra in his arms.

"I am not leaving her, I will carry her." Walken said.

"All the way?" The other orc survivor asked unbelievingly. "It's a long way."

"I do not care if it is a long way. I will carry her." Talgrun's respect for this particular tauren went up at those last words. The rain clouds, which had previously blocked the sky, now slow drifted away and revealed a sun that was already descending towards the horizon.

After one last look in the direction where Nielak lay, he called to the others, "Let's get back to the camp then." Although they might have understand this particular sentence, he said something similar to Björn and the other human in common.

They set a pace which was pretty relaxing had they been on a vacation-like trip, not wanting to burden the wounded. Even though he could move around, Talgrun felt far from well. His entire body hurt. His bones felt like they grinded against one another when he moved and his back felt like it was in a thousand pieces, while in reality there were only significant bruises on every square inch of it. More and more he began to feel it.

Yet he didn't feel it. He was thinking far to deeply to notice the pain. He was trying to determine what he would say to Jirina and Nielak's three children. It caused him pain as well, not physically, but mentally. _What will become of those three children when they have no father anymore, especially in this world and with a fourth coming soon. _He couldn't think of anything. Not even when darkness began to fall again, had he found anything that might be of use.

They decided to rest for the night when they had already gone so far into The Barrens that there was no Ashenvale tree in sight at all, instead of going on through the night and possibly putting such burden on the wounded that they'd break from the stress. Talgrun was certainly thankful for it. He could hardly move by the time he lay down by a small fire William had build. Food was passed on and, as they had the entire day, they ate in silence. Not once did they speak of the past day. Quickly they started falling asleep, exhaustion overcoming them. Talgrun managed to move his aching arms so that he could take the drawing he had received from Xani to just in front of his face. In the light from the fire he could see that the rainwater hadn't damaged the drawing much. It reminded him of the one person besides the two gathered here, William and now Walken, who he could count as his friends, his last friends.

He felt himself slipping away, and quickly put the drawing somewhere save, so he wouldn't loose it. Some of the others had promised to take turns staying awake to watch for predators or some stray demon. Walken had lain Ysondra down gently by the fire.

Sleep finally took hold and only brought him agonizing dreams like the one he had before, only longer, and slowly increasing in intensity. Several times he awoke from them noticing he was practically swimming in his own sweat. Apparently he hadn't screamed or anything like that, for nobody awakened as well, neither did the one staying awake notice him. The night dragged on like that until finally morning came again. He didn't feel rested at all when the sun peeked over the horizon. The beauty of the sunrise was the most calming thing he had experienced that entire night. _If I ever see Xani again, I might find it proper to tell her I'd compare her beauty with this particular sunrise. _He was surprised by his own thoughts on this.

* * *

A/N I am not going to make any promises for the timeframe 'till the next chapter, though I hope it won't be long. Anyway, do leave a review if you see anything wrong. And you can always just leave a review even if you don't see anything wrong, so I know I aint making any emberrasing mistakes. . .

'Till next time!


	18. Chapter 16: Ceremonial Flames

Well. . . Apolagies for the slightly longer than planned hiatus, but inspiration doesn't bind itself to my will, so I have to wait for it to come to me.

Read on.

**Chapter 16: Ceremonial Flames**

Morning had come and they set out again towards Thrall's encampment. Fortunately, so far Ysondra's body wasn't showing a single sign that it was rotting yet. Not even any flies were interested in it yet, the dry weather in the Barrens was probably the cause of that. Talgrun's body felt just as painful as the day before, possibly even worse. On top of that he was feeling extremely. . . Depressed. Nielak's death not once straying to far from his mind.

Slowly, they started talking again. Talgrun didn't join in, though, neither did Walken. But William, Björn and the other surviving human did talk. About what they should be doing when they reached the camp. It was a short conversation, but it pierced the unbearable silence at least for the moment. The two other orc survivors, talked as well. About a rather foolish subject, namely whether one of the survivors' major wounds would become a scar. The orc had been injured pretty bad, but would have strength enough to make it to the camp. The conversation seemed to be made just for the sake of talking, not necessarily for the subject. It was dragged on unnecessarily long, until it was stopped by William, who voiced that he had heard enough of it.

When the camp appeared on the horizon, Talgrun said to the rest, "When we get there, we should go straight to Thrall, we shouldn't get distracted." He repeated it in common.

"I need to see Cairne." Walken remarked, it being the first thing he had said since the day before. Not once had Walken allowed Ysondra be carried by one of the wolves, he had her carried the whole time.

"He probably won't be to far from Thrall."

"I have a craving for a whole keg of ale, to drink this whole mess away." Björn commented.

"Me to." William and the other human said virtually at the same time. Talgrun was thinking the same thing.

"Yeah, me to." Talgrun finally muttered a few seconds later. He expected Björn to make some sort of venomous comment related to Talgrun being an orc and supposedly not knowing the first thing about beer, but Björn didn't. In fact, Talgrun couldn't recall Björn making a single comment the day before as well, something he had been expecting from the dwarf. "You surprise me, Björn. I thought you would have made a whole lot of _comments _by now." He put sufficient emphasis on 'comments' to clarify what he meant.

"Yeah. . . I'm taking William's advice on that, it's going okay so far." Björn hesitated for a moment, but then said, "In these past few days. . . I think I have come to have a certain respect for you orcs. . ." Talgrun noticed that the other human was nodding a bit at that. "Something I thought would never happen after both my parents were killed during the second war, when I was twelve." Björn expressly didn't say 'by the horde' or 'by the orcs'.

Not long after, they passed the first guards. They let them pass without any trouble and only gave them a few looks that seemed to ask 'what the hell have you been doing out there?' Inside the camp there seemed to be a relatively cheerful mood. There seemed to have been some sort of party the night before, possibly to celebrate a victory. _Then the demonic curse has indeed been lifted, else there would be no reason for such a 'party'._

They made quite a sight with their many wounds, already several healers had approached them and had asked if they needed any help, but all had been rejected so far. First they would go to Thrall, Jaina and Cairne. Already a small crowd formed ahead of them, it was near the headquarters building, so probably where they needed to go. They steered their mounts that way and the small crowd parted before them respectfully. Someone seemed to have gone ahead and had alerted the leaders that they were coming, for all three were gathered there.

They dismounted, but before Talgrun or William could have said anything to either of their leaders, Walken had stepped up to Cairne. Walken gently put Ysondra's body on the ground before Cairne and then kneeled before it. With a shaky and emotional voice Walken spoke, "Cairne Bloodhoof, before you, I lay Ysondra Windhoof. Who has died while valiantly figh--" He was cut short as he looked up surprised at Cairne, who had respectfully walked around Ysondra and towards Walken. It was apparently a breaking of tradition as Walken seemed unsure what was happening.

Cairne put a hand on Walken's shoulder, bid him to rise and gently said. "I have no doubt she died valiantly, young one. She will be taken good care of, but for now, step over to your companions." After taking a long look at Ysondra, Walken did as he was asked to do. Two other tauren stepped forward from the crowd and carried Ysondra away.

It was Jaina who spoke first after Cairne had taken his place besides the other leaders. "This is all that made it back? Derrington is dead?" It was William who answered in the affirmative.

"Let's not discuss this out here, we'll go inside." Thrall said. Immediately the crowd parted so they could make their way towards the entrance. The entire inner area had been cleared for them. They took seats and waited for either Thrall or Jaina to start speaking. "Then if this is what made it back, what happened after I left? You were outnumbered greatly and it was only getting worse. . ." He let his voice trail of.

Talgrun expected William to start explaining, but when no one spoke, Talgrun looked around at the others and noticed they seemed to be waiting for him to explain what had happened, even those who couldn't have understood what thrall had said seemingly knew what was expected of them and were looking at him expectantly. So he spoke. When he paused in between sentences, William translated what he had said to common. "Well, when you had left, both sides formed up in formation. The demons still increased in numbers. . ." It didn't take him that long to explain what had happened. They had fought until Dethrox had found out, through Talgrun, that he was wasting valuable time fighting.

"I never saw this Dethrox after I left. In fact, I saw not a single demon." Thrall explained after Talgrun had finished. "You did an excellent job at keeping them away from me."

Talgrun noticed there was still a seemingly cheerful mood outside, the sounds of cheers made their way inside every now and then. "I take it you lifted the unnatural bloodlust?" Talgrun asked. "How? And. . . Uhm. . . Where is Grom?"

Thrall seemed to not like that last question, and neither did Talgrun like it the moment he saw Thrall's expression. He hadn't seen Grom anywhere, and feared he never would, judging by Thrall response. "I arrived here, and as had been planned we managed to purge Grom of the bloodlust. He told me that the pit lord Mannoroth was both the beginning, the source and the one who maintained the bloodlust upon the Warsong clan. His suggestion was to destroy Mannoroth."

Thrall halted there, as if the next part was hard for him as well. "So we sought out Mannoroth and confronted him. My own attempted to destroy Mannoroth failed miserably. Grom, though, attacked Mannoroth nonetheless. He hacked straight through Mannoroth's armour on the first swing, cutting deep into Mannoroth's chest. It killed Mannoroth, but also meant Grom's death. In the inferno that followed Mannoroth's destruction, Grom's was wounded so badly he died of his wounds only a short while later. . ."

Thrall's story cut deep with Talgrun. He slowly saw his own dreams, nightmares, come true. How he would eventually outlive everybody. Now Grom, one of the greatest orc warriors ever.

"There are still possibly troublesome times ahead as we try to make contact with the Warsong, especially since their chieftain has just died. But I will not ask any of you to participate in that. In fact, I think all of you deserve some rest. We'll see what happens with you after that." Cairne was nodding a bit, and after William had translated, Jaina nodded as well. "Although you, Talgrun. I think you might want to return to the Warsong village. . . After that, I would request you come back to us though, experienced warriors like you are few and we need any we can get."

"I would indeed want to go to the Warsong village. I'll see about coming back here after that. . ." Talgrun said sombrely. "For now, though, I think some healing would be best." He pointed at his own cheek to emphasise his point.

"Of course!" It didn't take long for the healers to come. Within minutes their injuries were attended to, although the one who took a look at Talgrun's back did remark that he was surprised Talgrun could still walk. Afterwards, though, Talgrun felt as good as he had when first going on his last assignment.

Thrall and Cairne were busy discussing something Talgrun wasn't at all interested in, but Jaina, after disappearing for a short while, walked up to him. She carried something he had almost forgotten in the past two days. A certain belt with a certain bag with a certain crystal in it. "I still haven't been able to find anything about it, leading me to the conclusion that I won't be finding anything in the books I have here. I suggest you hold on to it and try to find out what it is when this whole mess is over." He thanked her and she joined Thrall and Cairne in their discussion. Talgrun replaced the belt on his waist and carefully put the drawing he had been carrying around back in the bag.

Already he could feel the crystal's calming feeling spread through him, like a cooling wave of water. But right now it felt like a bucket of water had been thrown over a forest-fire, it did something, but not much. He sat down in the hopes it would give him at least some rest.

Not long after Talgrun had sat down, Walken suddenly stood up and mumbled, "I am going to. . . Going to check on. . ."

"You don't need to clarify yourself to me." Talgrun remarked. "But go on. She deserves that." The tauren stood up and exited the building. Walken's place was filled by William, who had a mug filled with beer in one hand and another mug in the other hand for Talgrun. William handed the latter mug over to Talgrun. "Thanks. . ." In one go he emptied the entire mug and then put it on a nearby table. Tiredly he rested his head on his hands and his elbows on his knees.

Instead of drinking it all in one go, William took one sip and then asked, "Tired?"

"Very." _Not just physically._ William nodded understandingly. For a few minutes Talgrun tried to divert his thoughts by looking at all the activity around him, but he kept thinking back to the previous day. _Why Nielak? Couldn't it have been one of those other orcs? So he would have lived?_ Immediately he realized that would just have lain the problem with someone else. Still, it wouldn't have left him so. . . He didn't know what.

_Agh! Get over it! You've seen many others die while you went on! _He said to himself. _Many friends. . . Many loved ones. . . _It only served to depress him more. He decided he needed to get over it at least partly, to do something. He knew just what might give him that, although it would make things only worse on the short term, before they would get better.

He stood up and was about to start walking when William asked, "Where are you going?"

"To settle something. . ."

"Well. . . I aint got anything to do, so. . ." William sounded pretty much like his old self from a few days ago and Talgrun realized that William hadn't suffered any real losses the previous day.

"No! This, I need to do alone. . ." Without anymore words he left, regretting his outburst towards William a bit, but that feeling was quickly drowned out again. Without letting anybody else know he was leaving, he went out of the structure and looked around for Sasha. He realized he had become strangely attached to the wolf. Sasha had been washed up, all the blood been removed from her fur. "You ready to go back out there again?"

After untying Sasha and gathering a small cart which could be dragged by the wolf, they went on their way. The cart was light enough to not bother the wolf at all. With a little lie he managed to get past the guards at the edge of the camp. Setting a slow pace, he rode through the night and even fell asleep in the saddle during the night. It was short and dreamless, but nonetheless relaxing, a bit. Food wasn't a problem, he had taken some with him for both himself and the wolf. If necessary they could always have hunted some animal.

It was the next day when they arrived back on the fateful location in Ashenvale. The corpses still littered the ground. The fetid smell was awful, but he had learned years ago to not pay attention to the smell of death in such a situation, although he remembered a time when he would have revelled in it. But that was long ago, in a time he didn't wish to remember. Strangely none of the bodies had been feasted on by carrion birds or other animals. The stench of demon flesh hung heavily in the air, possibly what had kept those creatures away. As he looked over the carnage, he couldn't help but wonder whether all this would have happened had he not proposed to let Thrall make a quick getaway to the encampment while he and the rest of the warriors remained to stall the demons. Would all of them have died, or would more have come out of it alive, would Nielak have come out of it alive?

Before going on to do what he came to do, he trudged towards a certain tree. A tree which lay in two halves, one half still stuck in the ground, and the other lying on the ground. For a moment he remembered crashing through the tree, breaking it in the process. Looking at just how thick the tree was, with a clearer mind this time, he realized he had to be incredibly lucky to be alive, let alone have come out of the collision with no broken bones. The more he tried to find some explanation that would explain his survival he kept coming back to the conclusion that he either had to be incredibly lucky, or incredibly stubborn when it came to dying.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, he went on to do what he came to do. Walking over to Nielak's corpse, he couldn't help thinking of some of the good times he had had with Nielak. Trying to maintain that attitude, he loaded Nielak's body onto the cart he had brought. After positioning Nielak in a somewhat dignified way, he covered the body up with a blanket he had brought just for this purpose. Then he proceeded on towards the Warsong village, taking the relatively long way by first going towards the main path that would take him towards the 'entrance' of the village. Nielak's weight would have strained the wolf, Sasha, if he had been riding as well, so he walked himself and only guided Sasha by the reins.

He realized that first believing Nielak was truly dead and then figuring out he was alive had made him so incredibly happy. . . That Nielak's true death hit him even harder, had left him more hollowed out then anything else before.

The fact that he still wore his Warsong armour granted him easy passage past the guards. As he had hoped, he didn't draw to much attention. Although it was a bit strange to see an orc warrior seemingly engage in ordinary labour, towing a cart, a job normally suited for the lowly peons, things had been stranger in the village lately. Not once did anybody try to figure out what was underneath the blanket, just as he wanted it.

He got to Nielak's humble home. He unhooked the cart and parked it just besides the house. He checked whether Jirina was home at all and saw she was, the children were home as well. But there was someone else as well. Warlord Firetusk stood in the middle of the small room, telling Jirina that for the moment there was no reason to believe Nielak was dead. _Great timing, Talgrun! Great timing. _He thought sarcastically. Before actually stepping into the house to deliver the bad news, he first tended to Nielak's body a bit. With a bit of water he had brought with him in a flask, he washed away most of blood on Nielak's chest armour and face.

He found himself stalling the moment he would walk into the house by washing away more than was necessary. Finally he managed to pull himself away and walked towards the entrance of the house. Stepping through, he immediately caught Jirina's attention, and in the process, Firetusk's attention. "Talgrun!" Jirina's face momentarily lit up with glee as she saw him. "Where is Nielak?"

He saw Firetusk was also looking at him expectantly, and that moment he realized the Warlord and Nielak had become friends in the month Talgrun hadn't been around. "He. . . Uhm. . ." He couldn't force the words through his throat, but the fact that he hesitated and his own expression already said what he had meant to say. He saw Jirina's gleeful expecting expression collapse. "Sorry. . ." He managed.

"He's. . . Dead?" Firetusk asked.

"Yeah. . ." Firetusk's expression became emotionless. "He. . . He is outside. In the cart." Jirina pushed him aside and walked out of the house. He and Firetusk followed her out towards the cart.

She had thrown the blanket away and blankly stared at Nielak's closed eyes. He had expected her to react differently, more emotional. The children had come out as well. All three of the children were devastated by the sight. Only one, Adonai, tried to hide it, but failed miserably. Jirina fingered the holes in Nielak's armour where Dethrox' claws had gone through.

Talgrun remembered having promised something to Nielak. "Just before he died, he told me, to tell you he just tried to do _something_. . ." As she listened to his words, he saw her attempts to remain unemotional break down. "He said, you'd understand."

"I. . . I do." She managed.

"How did he die?" Firetusk asked. The Warlord did a much better job at keeping a straight face. Talgrun told them. Mostly he kept himself looking at the Warlord, he didn't want to face Jirina while he told them. He couldn't help but tell them to what end it had all been. "So we are free indeed?"

"Yes, yes we are."

"Then he deserves an honorary ceremony, just like all the others who died out there. . ."

* * *

And those ceremonies came, two days later. Both for the Horde warriors who had died and the Alliance Warriors. The ceremony was held at the exact midway point between the Horde/Alliance camp and the Warsong village. With that ceremony all the troubles between the Warsong clan and the rest of the Horde, at least temporarily, evaporated. Even the Horde and the Alliance stood side by side for a few hours without any incidents.

Talgrun stood amongst some of the last few he would call friends, and they were few indeed. It seemed that anybody he befriended would end up dead, if not soon after, years after. It certainly had seemed true so far. Only William had managed to avert death for a long time. Both Walken and Björn he didn't know for a long time yet. He couldn't help but think of Xani. She and the other night-elves would probably have gone to the north after he had escaped from them, right back towards where hordes of demons had slaughtered many night-elves. He doubted it, but knew there was a chance they had also already been killed. He dreaded that possibility.

As the bodies of the Horde warriors were ceremonially set aflame, the Alliance soldiers had been buried, and the rest of those gathered around the flames stared into the fire, Talgrun stepped towards Thrall, who was also staring into the flames solemnly. Many other high ranking officers of both the Warsong and the rest of the Horde, including Firetusk, had gathered around Thrall. After respectfully drawing the warchief's attention, he said, "You asked me to stay with your forces. . ." The warchief affirmed that with a nod. "Then I will, but I'd request I'd NOT be put on the frontlines."

"Not?" Thrall asked surprised. It was highly unusual for an orc warrior to request to not be put on the frontlines. If anything, any ordinary orc warrior would want to be on the front. "Why?" The warchief inquired carefully.

"I can't go through things like this on a daily basis, not while there is anybody I care about in those fires. I have seen to many of these pyres. . ."

"I understand. . . But the front is exactly where I need officers like you."

He wanted to say something else, but then realized just what Thrall had said. "What? I am no officer, I am merely a _senior_ sergeant." He said surprised.

"Well, you're an officer now. . . Congratulations." Talgrun couldn't blame the warchief for not sounding sincere in his congratulation at that moment. "However I will give your request for none-frontline-duty consideration. I am sure there are spaces to be filled somewhere else. But, you have to understand, you and the other survivors from your group. . . Almost the entirety of the Horde has heard of you. . . Especially _you_."

"Me, why?"

"Basically suggesting to sacrifice yourself. . . That commands respect from any Horde warrior. Then pulling the other orcs, trolls and tauren together with the humans. That is no small thing. And then standing up to that dreadlord and not being killed like all the others who faced him, even smashing his ribs to a pulp. . . You look surprised, you didn't think anybody would ever know those things?"

"Well. . . Maybe a few would know, but the entire Horde?"

"The other survivors spoke very highly of you, and not just to me or Jaina. They saw more of your struggle with Dethrox then you think they did. . . I think you have no idea just how much respect you command. In the eyes of the Horde you are practically a hero for granting me the opportunity to make it back to the camp while nearly paying for it with your own live. It could make a difference to all the other warriors if you'd be standing at the front. . ."

"Come ON!" Talgrun had a hard time believing the things he was hearing. He kept expecting to wake up.

"You _really_ have no idea, do you?"

"Apparently. . . But still, even if all what you are saying is true, I'd still prefer to not be at the front."

"If that is truly your wish. . . We're not facing any immediate foes right now, so it wouldn't be to great a loss."

"What about the demons in the Warsong village?"

"Those were taken care of the moment Mannoroth was destroyed. The Warsong turned on them almost immediately."

There was one last question on Talgrun's mind, so he asked, "You just said you're promoting me. . . But just said 'officer', as if you weren't promoting me just once. . ."

Thrall chuckled lightly and then said. "Indeed, I said that. I am somewhat surprised they hadn't found out those hidden leadership talents of yours earlier in the Warsong clan. . ."

"I think my previous commanding officer was to content with how I served as his second that he didn't want to loose me." He just made that up, he hadn't the clue what it really was, or whether there really were hidden leadership talents within him.. "You still didn't answer my question."

"I don't quite know what to make of you yet, it would depend on the actual duty you'd get. But since you'll be transferred from the Warsong clan to my command, you'll be needing new armour." Thrall pointed at the armour Talgrun wore even now. "Purple is not the colour we wear around here. It's all broken as well." Thrall gestured at several locations were something had slashed through the leather or metal.

"Well, it could just be repainted and patched up." Talgrun offered, thinking he really didn't need any new armour.

"Don't be stupid. . . I can't have an officer walking around in some second-hand patched up set of grunt armour." Talgrun couldn't help but think of Ayo. The troll had been wearing a mismatch of leather armour which seemed to be held together by nothing but patches. "Although it will take a while to manufacture something new for you. You're not exactly the standard in size."

"If you insist. . ." That concluded their conversation. They would talk again about it another time, but for now Talgrun stepped back to the last few he called friends and stared at the slowly decaying body of Nielak, flames consuming the flesh. He noticed that on the other side of the pyre stood Jirina with her children. She slowly ran her hand up and down her belly. The belly where he remembered being told grew another child, although you could hardly see any chance at the moment. She didn't pay any attention to him and only stared at the fire. His gaze flickered towards her son, Adonai. The boy seemed to be holding up better than he had thought the boy would. Adonai didn't notice him as well and only stared at his father's decaying body, but there was something of a hint of determination in his eyes.

He knew such determination. A sort of determination that could only cause trouble.

A/N: And this chapter basically ends one large storyline, but it is also the beginning of at least one other.


	19. Chapter 17: Back in the Barrens

Read on. . .

**Chapter 17: Back in the Barrens**

She couldn't believe it! They had walked right into their trap! Even Kaylin hadn't noticed it. And it was a centaur trap at that. Centaur! Barbaric beasts that could hardly be called intelligent compared to the local wildlife, had successfully trapped night-elves! Now they sat caged in one of those centaur's 'villages'. More a collection of huts. She had seen the Warsong village, from a distance but still. That was a village, she would almost call it a town, and this most certainly wasn't anything like it.

Knowing that they were far outnumbered, Kaylin had ordered them to lower their weapons, in the hopes that if they would be imprisoned they might somehow be able to escape. They had all been thrown together into a single 'prison'. Already Xani doubted whether it had been wise to surrender to the centaur. The stories she had heard about centaur brutality so far did not seem to be exaggerated. They had been prisoner for just over a day now, and already the centaur had taken five of them one by one from their cage.

The only thing they'd hear or see from them after they had been taken were screams. Only one of them had come back, partly. When the centaur had been done with that one, they had thrown the head back into the cage. Xani had known that at least one of the elves taken away had been a very tough soldier. She didn't want to know what the centaur could do to break someone like that break in such short time. And then they'd go on for what seemed like hours. With only the sounds of torture to keep them company, fear quickly gripped their hearts. Xani could only imagine the sorts of abuse and torture the centaur must have put them through.

There was evidence that they were not the centaur's first victims. There were several bones, and one whole skeleton, spread around the cage, sometimes with sinew and pieces of skin still attached. Carrion birds had done a fair job at picking the bones clean, though. When Xani inspected several of the bones, she came to the conclusion that these centaur seemed to have a particular liking to take orcs and tauren 'prisoner'.

Right now it was the dawn of a new day. The sky was red as the sun started to rise from the horizon. Even though she was in one of the worst places she could imagine, she found the sunrise particularly beautiful. Maybe it was because of where she was that she really appreciated the beauty of the sunrise. She hadn't been able to get any sleep that night, which she regretted, because it was the only time when the centaur did not seem to feel the need to torture them for fun. And she knew she would never be able to get any sleep during the day when she knew there was someone being tortured just a few dozen feet away.

She had noticed several of the others had been planning some sort of escape during the night, but they hadn't found a way yet. Even though Chereesa had been amongst those trying to find a way of escape, Xani hadn't participated. She didn't feel confident of herself enough to say anything. Besides, anything she could think of had been proposed by somebody else as well, and had then be cast down by someone else.

Thankfully it was another hour before the first centaur stood at the entrance of the cage. Immediately one of the possible plans of escape was deemed impossible. The plan had been to overcome the centaur when they'd come for another one of them, but the centaur were never alone and always carried weapons. Two of the centaur seemed to be discussing who to take this time. The two spoke in a language even more guttural than the already guttural orcish. From the small bits of orcish she had picked from Talgrun, she knew that orcish at least seemed to have some sort of pattern to it, but Xani couldn't recognise the slightest bit of that with the two centaur.

The two centaur seemed to have made their choice. One of them shouted the choice at another centaur standing a few feet away, which seemed to laugh at the choice. The cage was opened and one of the four legged centaur stepped inside and pointed at the victim of their choice. Xani felt dread come over as she realized it was Kaylin they pointed at. Kaylin had been the one that had held them together all this time. She had been the glue that had held their group together. Although maybe a glue which ruled with an iron fist, but still.

Without attempting to resist, Kaylin slowly stepped towards the centaur. The centaur seemed disappointed with the fact that Kaylin didn't resist, which only served to put a slight smile on Kaylin's mouth, something Xani had rarely seen before. Without looking back once, Kaylin was guided, by the centaur which had chosen her, behind a nearby hut. It was the same route which the others had taken. But Kaylin was the only one to make it back over the same path, in one piece.

Not once had they heard even the slightest scream from her. They had been busy with her for hours and hours on end. They had heard sounds of all sorts of materials impacting flesh, but they had never heard Kaylin herself. The centaur had made more noise then she did. The only thing they had heard from her had been a harsh insult flung at the centaur.

She did not come unharmed, though. She came back near death, but still conscious. The two centaur which had come to collect her dragged her between them towards the prison. One of them also carried a pack that was Kaylin's clothes and armour. They threw her naked and somewhat limp body into the cage, her armour and clothes were thrown in after her. Bruises covered every inch of her body, but were worst around her throat, her back and the side of her ribcage. Long slashes, almost to the bone, also covered her back as if they had used a whip on her. Blood dripped from her body in small streams. The two centaur stepped away from the cage again and disappeared, grunting their disappointment in the process.

Kaylin's empty eyes stared ahead while others quickly put some of her clothes back on her. Both Jonno and Xani tried to do what they could for Kaylin's injuries, but Xani feared that any real injuries, even though Kaylin had never screamed, would be in Kaylin's already scarred mind. The physical injuries were easily healed, but Kaylin's eyes were still staring ahead blankly. Xani could hardly blame her. If it had been her, she would probably have broken. _Probably? No doubt about it._

Minutes after they had managed to heal Kaylin's wounds, Jonno waved a hand before Kaylin's eyes. Finally she responded. Or, at least she blinked. "Can you hear me?" Her eyes focused upon Jonno, flickered towards Xani, who also hung over Kaylin, and then back to Jonno. "Commander?" He asked. "Kaylin?"

She responded as if offended by him calling her by her name. Her reaction aggressive to the extreme, as if all the anger which had build in her the past few hours, in her past life, was released in a single instant. Before anybody realised what she was doing, Kaylin's fist had implanted itself into Jonno's jaw, sending Jonno reeling backward. Kaylin was up in a second and seemed only barely capable of not hitting anybody else, restraining herself only barely. Instead of hitting someone else, she ran towards the nearest bars and started pulling and pushing them repeated, screaming insults at the centaur at the same time. It wasn't a scream of pain like those who had been tortured before her had uttered, it was pure anger, pure rage. When pulling the bars didn't seem to do anything, she began pounding her fist into the much more sturdy bars until something broke in her hand. Only then did she stop and slump to the ground against the bars, anger vented sufficiently.

Her eyes became unemotional again, as they usually were. While everybody stayed back, Jonno walked over to her and sat down next to her. "Sorry, about the. . ." She apologised weakly, voice and eyes as unemotional as they always were, while gesturing at Jonno's jaw.

"No problem." Jonno spit blood on the ground, then felt around inside his mouth with his fingers. When he pulled them out again he held something between his fingers. "It's just a tooth." He flung the tooth away through the bars of the prison. "Now, let me take a look at that hand, commander." Kaylin allowed him to take her hand and heal it. "Good as new." Jonno said when he was finished.

It seemed the centaur had lost all lust for torture. No others were taken that day. That didn't stop them from fearing such every time a centaur walked by. "Why don't they just kill us, and be done with it?" Xani asked Chereesa, who was sitting next to her. They hadn't spoken much after the decision had been made to head back south. Xani feared she might let shine through that Jonno hadn't been all that honest about there not being a mountain pass, which was what was supposed to get them to Ashenvale safely. Now, though, that didn't matter anymore, unless they somehow made it out of there.

"Maybe their just sharpening their knifes while wondering what would be the most 'fun' way to do just that." Chereesa said, not all that eager to find out. "I would like to know what they did with the bodies of those they already took. . . I haven't seen them take them anywhere."

Incidentally the evening had only just begun when Chereesa said that. "Look over there. . ." Obi said as he pointed between two huts at a pair of centaur, eating some sort of meat right of the bone. "Look at that bone one of them is holding." Obi held his hand apart from one another at a distance that was about the same as the length of the bone. Xani judged he wasn't to far of with his estimation. Obi then brought his hands to his own leg. One of his hands ended up at his knee and the other at his hip. "See?"

Xani couldn't quite say what she was thinking, her mouth just hung open a little. Chereesa did manage to say something, "They ATE them?!" Xani suddenly felt sick. If she had anything to throw up, she would have.

"Barbarians!" Several others shouted, who had been listening in.

A few others starting shouting as well, until Kaylin silenced them all. "SHUT UP!" She walked to Obi and shouted at him, "You had better keep things like that to yourself! It's already bad enough as it is!" She turned to rest of them. "All of you! We don't to hear things like this. What we need is a way to get OUT! Start thinking about that instead of this!" She sat back down.

Not long after, food was passed out by the centaur. It was mostly meat, with only a few pieces of fruit. They were hungry, but not hungry enough to dare eat the meat, not knowing from what it came. Fortunately for them, night-elves didn't require to much food to keep going, but it seemed the centaur knew that as well. This had been the first food they had gotten since they had been put in the prison.

Kaylin made sure the fruits were distributed equally. When some time later another centaur came by to check on them, he also carried a large bucket of water with a single primitive cup in it. After laughing at how much they had eaten from their food, he put the bucket down just inside the prison.

The next day, after another mostly sleepless night for Xani, the centaur seemed to have regained their lust for torture somewhat. Three of them were taken, none of which managed to hold their tongue as Kaylin had. Obi seemed to have been right about what the centaur ate. That evening, Xani saw more centaur eat their meat right of the bone, bones the size of night-elf legs and arms. They also seemed to have taken ribs for food, but she couldn't tell where the ribs came from, they could have from some animal. Although she did thought she saw purple skin on one of the pieces of meat.

That evening, again food and water was passed out. Still, nobody dared to eat the meat, but there was nowhere near as much order in dealing with the rest of the food as the day before.

"Maybe they see us as a food source. . ." One of the other elves Xani didn't know by name said understandably.

"Maybe they don't care at all what they eat and this is just another form of torture. Because they know that we do care about what we eat." Another replied.

More days past such as this. Their group shrunk. Some of the tortured were thrown back into the cell, half-dead, only to be finished of later, as if the centaur were showing of how proficient they were at torture. It proved to be an immense strain on them for tensions rose. So far only Kaylin had survived and they hadn't taken her again. Xani considered herself lucky to not be amongst those taken, and to not have to watch someone she really knew get taken. When food was passed out, they slowly started acting more like beasts than elves, to hungry to care what they seemed. Still, they wouldn't touch the meat. The night that followed day five, Xani finally managed to get some real sleep, out of pure exhaustion. It contained no dreams, no nightmares. When she woke, it felt as if she had slept for to short a time.

But the day that followed that night, brought some variety. Instead of immediately taking someone for torture, someone was added to the prison.

There seemed to be something going on elsewhere in the camp. While usually to weak to do anything but get their food, they all gathered at the bars of their prison, wondering what the all the commotion could be about. The sounds of struggle reached them. Xani heard a roar of anger. Centaur appeared at the prison bars, ordering the elves to step back in their harsh language, even though they didn't know what it was the centaur was really saying they knew what he meant. Not wanting to risk being gutted by a spear shoved between the bars, they stepped back and waited.

The sounds of struggle got closer, until finally an orc was forced towards the cage by four centaur. Or more like, the orc was carried by the centaur. The cell door was opened and the orc shoved inside. The orc fell to the ground, clutching his leg. The door was quickly closed as the orc tried to fling himself towards the centaur. The orc only crashed into the bars, to be forced further into the cell by several spears poking him. He fell back and again clutched his leg.

For a moment Xani had expected the orc to be Talgrun, but the much shorter posture, somewhat less impressive muscles and dark reddish hair quickly took that possibility away. The orc looked up at the row of elves and, judging from his expression, must have thought he had ended up in a different sort of hellhole.

Xani saw that the orc was gravely injured. One of his legs seemed to have been pierced by something while there was a deep slash on the right side of his back, possibly the result of a not entirely successful assault from an axe, armour stopping the axe halfway in.

Xani's priestly calling wanted to take over, even though she realized she was in no real condition to do any real healing and that not all orcs were as easy to deal with as Talgrun had been. She took a step forward, but was stopped by Chereesa grabbing her arm. "What do you think you're doing?"

Xani just said, "He's injured."

"None of us are in any condition to do anything for him. . ." A voice from behind, Jonno's, said.

"Then I'll have to make do without magic. . ." She ripped herself free of Chereesa's grasp and walked towards the orc, who had crawled to one edge of the cell. She could hear Chereesa sigh heavily and then follow her.

As she approached the orc she heard Chereesa say, "Be careful. . . He can probably rip your arm of, even if he's injured."

Xani squatted down besides the orc, unsure of what to actually do. She was relieved, though, that the orc didn't immediately punch her in the face or something. He had seen her, she knew that, but chose to let her near. In the time she had spend with Talgrun she had picked a few, very few, words of orcish, mostly related to injuries. Words she now attempted to use. The wound on his leg was bleeding badly, so she pointed at it and said, "Injury. . ." In what she hoped was orcish. The orc only batted her hand away and said something akin to a warning, but did seem surprised by her use of an orcish word.

Instead of trying again, she reached back to her cloak. She ripped a long piece of it and put on the ground before the orc. Now she pointed at the leg and again said. "Injury."

The orc seemed to understand and picked up the far from ideal improvised bandage and used it to cover the wound. The orc then grunted something that sounded like a 'thank you'.

Excited by the one thing most positive thing of the past few days, she tried to make it clear to the orc that she wanted him to turn around so she could look at his back. She never got around to it, though. "Xani!" Chereesa said warningly from behind her.

Xani looked up and saw there were centaur at the entrance of the cell. One of them gestured for the orc to come to them. She looked back at the orc, whose glance momentarily flickered towards her. For a very short moment they shared a moment of understanding, understanding of what would happen to the orc. Then the orc stood up and, while holding onto the bars of their prison, managed to walk towards the centaur, who then roughly took him away. Just like all the others, he disappeared behind a set of huts.

Unlike Kaylin, the orc didn't keep his mouth shut. But unlike all the other night-elves, most things the orc spewed at his captors seemed to be roars of anger and insults. They took their time with him, though. As if they took even greater sadistic pleasure from torturing him. But even the orc had given in to death by the end. Xani had sat back down where she normally sat, next to Chereesa and on the other side of Chereesa, Obi.

When the day was nearing it's end again, Obi slightly poked Chereesa in the side and said, "Look!" while pointing at something. Xani didn't care to look, as it was probably another of Obi's gruesome discoveries.

Even when Chereesa mused, "By Elune. . ." she didn't look towards where Obi had been pointing. "Xani. . ." Now Chereesa drew her attention. She couldn't pretend to be distracted now, so she just looked towards where Chereesa was now pointing.

There was something new amongst the collection of huts. A long pole had appeared amongst the huts. On top of that pole, the body of the orc had been impaled, as if a warning to any other orcs daring to come near to the centaurs. Her stomach felt like it was turning over inside her. _These centaur must have a serious grudge against orcs! _She thought. It seemed that by now everybody within the prison had seen the impaled body.

Night quickly approached again. And as usual the centaur brought food and water. When they filled themselves best they could with the scarce amount of fruit, the meat still lay there, as still none of the elves had dared to eat it. That changed, though.

Xani had sunk deeply into her own thoughts, but was pulled out of them by a shout. "Commander?! What are you doing?" Jonno asked.

Xani looked up and saw Kaylin had stepped towards the meat still near the entrance. "We all know what this meat might have come from. . ." Kaylin started. "But there is to much meat here to have come from, well. . ." Even Kaylin faltered here for a moment, but it didn't last. "Besides, we are going to need all the strength we can get if we are going to escape tomorrow."

"Escape?!" One of the other night-elves shouted surprised. "But we can't get over or through these bars, and whenever they open the door, they have weapons. We don't."

Instead of just ordering them to eat, Kaylin chose to argue against the point made by the soldier. "Then we make our own weapons! There are plenty of long, strong bones here. . ."

"You suggest we use the bones of our own, and others, to fight!?" Jonno demanded, sounding disturbed.

"I AM suggesting that!" Kaylin looked at each one of them, which didn't take to long now that there weren't a lot of them left. "So?" She gestured at the meat and then chose a piece for herself. Making sure everybody could see it, she took a bite from the meat and swallowed.

"Xani?" Chereesa asked softly. "Shouldn't we. . ." Chereesa gestured towards the meat.

Xani sighed heavily, knowing that for once that if she said yes to the plan, others might follow. Weighing her options, certain death if they stayed against possibility of escape if they tried Kaylin's plan, she came to the conclusion that the possibility of escape was a whole lot better than death. "Alright."

They stood up and walked towards Kaylin, who alright held other pieces of meat ready for them. The nervousness of being watched by a whole lot of others took hold of her, but she managed to walk on towards Kaylin and take the meat from Kaylin. Her glance momentarily flickered towards Kaylin, who had a strangely thankful look in her eyes. As she had thought, others followed. Obi followed just after Jonno had stood up to get his share of meat. Eventually, everybody had gotten their share of meat. Satisfied, Kaylin sat down where she had been sitting before.

Instead of immediately starting to eat, Xani inspected her piece of meat. She hoped to find some evidence that what she was about to eat was just part of an animal. She found it. There was still some blackened, at least the centaur had taken the trouble to warm the meat, skin attached to the meat. From the skin she managed to tell that it was from an animal. "Praise Elune." She muttered to herself. Contend that she wasn't eating her own kind, she took bite after bite. Normally she wouldn't have liked eating meat, but now even she thought that in this particular situation, it wasn't to bad.

The next day came. Xani had managed to get some sleep that night, comforting herself with the thought that she might soon be out of that prison. Kaylin had told them her plan. It was simple, but required a great deal of luck and a fair bit of timing. Initially, Xani had asked to actually take part in it, but Kaylin wouldn't let her take part, arguing that her healing abilities might be needed later on. The same went for Jonno. The one time Xani would have been willing to fight and kill, she wasn't allowed to.

But the plan also hinged upon the centaur following their daily routine of taking someone for torture. So far that didn't go so well. Already the sun had risen above the horizon, but the centaur still hadn't come for any of them, as if the centaur knew what had been planned.

"Xani. . ." Chereesa said started. Xani had been waiting so anxiously for the moment they would be able to set the plan in motion, that she felt relieved at the chance to talk a bit.

"Yes?"

"Imagine we would get out of here and managed to get back to our own lands. . . What would be the first thing you'd do?"

"Spend one whole week in a refreshing, clean, lake, and then another week in thankful prayer to Elune." She said without needing to think it through. Never before had she felt so filthy.

"I'd spend both of those two weeks in that lake. . ." Chereesa said, chuckling lightly afterwards.

As if their conversation had triggered something with the centaur, the centaur stood at the entrance. There were two of them. As usual one of them pointed at one of the imprisoned elves. Neither one of them seemed to notice that some of the elves were now lugging around some of the larger bones. The other centaur opened the 'door'. As had been planned, the one who had been chosen by the centaur would refuse to come with them. Chereesa did her part by acting as if she protected the chosen prisoner.

It forced one of the centaur to step inside and go get the prisoner. As the centaur stepped inside, four elves, who hid large bones behind them, inconspicuously walked towards the entrance and waited for their sign. That sign soon came. The centaur, which had stepped inside, grabbed the prisoner by the arm, wanting to drag it out. It would never come to that. Kaylin had come up behind the centaur and, after smiling maliciously, swung her bone as hard as she could at the centaur's head. The bone cracked, both the one she used and the centaur's skull. By then it had gotten through to the other centaur standing at the entrance that there was something wrong.

Up until then the plan worked perfectly, but then it went wrong. The other centaur had to much time to call for aid. The night-elves supposed to deal with that centaur reacted to slow. The centaur managed to call out to his fellows not far of, who might have otherwise remained unknowing of the danger. To quickly they gathered their weapons and raced towards the prison.

Having watched it all, Xani could tell that the plan had already failed. Still, the other elves seemed to not see it that way. They charged with their makeshift weapons at the centaur, the weapon looted from the dead centaur put to good use. Kaylin shouted encouragements at the elves, but nothing worked. Even though they managed to take a few more centaur down, they couldn't manage to get out of the prison, their path blocked by a now overwhelming number of centaur, all the while losing more of their own.

"STOP! Step BACK! It isn't working! It isn't working. . ." Kaylin called out eventually when only a dozen elves remained. The elves did so, hesitantly, unsure of what the centaur would do. "Let's hope they don't just kill us, now." Kaylin muttered as she let herself drop to the ground. Xani found herself hoping the same thing, but also wondering whether it wouldn't just put them out of their misery.

It seemed that today was their 'lucky' day. Instead of charging into the prison, the centaur withdrew, dragging their dead and wounded. Despite the fact that they were still alive, a large slice had been cut away from her already low amount of hope remaining.

* * *

A/N: For people who care to know such things: I seem to really dislike the centaur. In my previous story they already acted as the 'bad guys' for a few chapters, but now they are even worse.

Anyhoo, keep reading (and reviewing).


	20. Chapter 18: A Different Job

And Read on. Sorry for being late, I have set monday as my target day to get the chapters out.

**Chapter 18: A Different Job**

It was almost sunrise, maybe an hour more until the first rays of light would bathe the ground in orange light. He sat at a table by the window of what had become his new home. Since his recent promotion, he had been granted several things, besides his new rank. One was that a new suit of armour be crafted for him, he hadn't seen it yet, it was supposed to have been finished the day before. Second was a weapon be crafted for him to go along with the armour. And third was the house he was in now. It lay somewhere at the edge of the main Horde encampment in the northern Barrens, and it was certainly a lot better than the barracks he previously had to share with others. For one he didn't have to listen to continuous snoring, which would not have been helpful in his current state of mind.

An empty, previously filled many times with some strong alcoholic beverage, cup sat in his hand. The previous night he had been visited by Walken. It hadn't taken long for them to understand exactly what the other had lost. He had lost his best friend, Walken his love of a lifetime. Both might have had a bit to much to drink. Talgrun more than Walken had, since Walken had had the common sense to not drink to much the night before he would go out on an assignment.

Talgrun to had been granted his new assignment. As he had hoped, it was far from the front lines, wherever those were, he didn't care much. In fact, his duties lay in this very encampment. It turned out he never had needed to ask for none-frontline-duty. Today would be his first day on the new assignment.

There was a knock on the door. "Champion!" he recognised the voice of one of the recently promoted officers he would be commanding, Kargagtha. She had been amongst the few to come back from trying to capture Grom. She had also been the one stitch up his cheek. "champion!? Are you awake?" He heard her walking around towards a window to look inside. Her face appeared just in front of him as she looked inside. "Champion?"

"What?!" He asked annoyed. The title of 'champion' was more an honorary title than anything else, although one could still make most officers bend to one's will with it. He, however, hated being called by his new title every time someone saw him. It didn't matter to him in the beginning, but being called 'champion' day in day out made him think more and more of how he got the title. Every time he heard the title now, a picture of a field filled with death flashed before his eyes. That and they weren't supposed to start on the new assignment until the exact moment the sun peeked over the horizon made him annoyed with her presence.

"I was asked to notify you that both your new armour and mace have been finished just now. They're ready to see if they fit right."

"Alright! Alright!" He rubbed the sides of his head and then followed her out towards the armoury. The entire encampment was still asleep. Only the night guards went about their rounds. Inside the armoury he was immediately lead towards separate side room where they had stored the suit of armour.

Indeed the armour was fully finished in all it's glory. It would cover his whole body with thick metal plating, in that way it wasn't to different from Warlord Firetusk's armour. The dominant colours were red and black giving it all a bit of an ominous feel as he looked at it. Spikes decorated the shoulder armour, while inscriptions decorated the edges. Inscriptions were also prominent on the gloves. He didn't waste to much time with looking at it and instead proceeded to putting it on. When he had put the thick metal armour on, one of the armour crafters approached with a long black cloak and pinned it on his back. The whole suit felt surprisingly light.

"It's been enchanted to feel as if it were no heavier than normal grunt armour. There are also several other enchantments. . ." But the craftsman didn't elaborate. "Is any part of it to roomy or cramped? Because we only had a single occasion to size you up."

"Actually. . ." Talgrun flexed his arms walked around a few paces and jumped up and down on the spot a couple of times. "No. . . It's all perfect as far as I'm concerned. You did a commendable job." He gave the craftsman a pat on the shoulder, causing the orc to cringe underneath the weight of the glove and arm, weight Talgrun himself didn't feel. "Sorry." Talgrun offered.

Next, another orc brought in the mace which would replace Talgrun's continuous need for the oversized axes. It was a two-handed one. Although the orc bringing it to him had trouble keeping the mace up, Talgrun had no such trouble, undoubtedly the result of even more enchantments, although it was still felt heavier than the normal axes used by grunts. Inscriptions all along the hilt glowed slightly if he moved it, spiked jutted out from both the top of the mace's head and the back end. The same colours of red and black had been applied to the mace, overall it was black and the inscriptions were in red. _Very nice. _He thought through his still slightly hung over mind, but the new armour and weapons brought his mood up to a high he hadn't experienced for some time.

"Well?" Kargagtha asked when he had finished admiring the craftsmanship on the mace.

"This will do very nicely." He said more to the craftsmen than to her, who gave him salutes and bows as a response. Now that he had seen just what they had made, he couldn't help but wonder just how they had managed to make such a set of armour in such short time. It seemed Thrall really didn't want to take any chances with his few remaining officers getting killed.

Not long after, Talgrun and Kargagtha were outside again. "I trust all of our charges are sleeping in their barracks?" He asked her. Now that he was fully awake, he wanted to start the day somewhat earlier than had been planned.

"Since yesterday they have all checked in and should all be present."

"Good. Rally them at the flat area just to the north of the encampment."

"It is not yet the appointed time to st--"

"To hell with the appointed time! If they're to be good, they'll have to be able to deal with irregular timetables."

She saluted and said, "Champion!" He managed to not show his annoyance at the word. Without protest she saluted and then went to fulfil her orders.

"Get the other officers as well!" He shouted after her when she was already running away, and then slowly walked towards the open flat area where he had ordered them to be gathered. He was beginning to have the feeling that he wasn't going to mind the rank of an officer, commanding others, to much. He had been granted a great deal of freedom in how he was to proceed with his assignment.

Coming upon the flats where he would be spending a lot of time the coming weeks, he saw several pieces of equipment which would be used, not by him, but by those he commanded. There would be more equipment, though, and several small tents as well.

Orcs soon began arriving, mostly clothed in simple thick hide vests and pants. They immediately saw him and lined up in rows. As more and more arrived, the rows grew longer, until there were a total of two hundred orcs standing before him. His 'students' for the coming weeks. The rest of the officers arrived soon after.

His new assignment was that of the 'supreme training officer'. Under his direct supervision he had this group, while there were four more directly supervised by other officers who reported directly to him. The five groups together were supposed to deliver one thousand well trained grunts in just a few weeks time. The next week more training groups would start, bringing the total number of trainees to sixteen-hundred, and even more would start the week after that. Since arriving on Kalimdor, there had been a definite lack of fresh, and well trained, soldiers. This new training program was supposed to solve that in short order, as long as there were able-bodied orcs, that is.

He wasn't quite happy with what he was seeing now, though. He had never seen any lists of names and ages, but now he saw just what he had to deal with. Whereas normally, orcs would start as a warrior with similar training or trained by their parents at the age of about sixteen, he saw only half of those lining up before him had that desired age. There were those far older, and those younger. After a brief glimpse he saw kids that could be no older than twelve and older orcs of past thirty.

Although he was far past that age himself, it would be hard teach those old dogs new tricks. He knew that most of the older ones were the lower caste peons who had been deemed worthy of attempting to reach warrior status, not only upping their own status as an orc, but possibly more important to them, that of their children. Orcs were rather bound to what they were born to be, so such a chance was taken by many a peon. From simple grunt, one could climb the ranks, if not themselves, their children might. Very similar to how Talgrun had started out as a grunt. But it would be a problem, since the former peons had a history of slavish labour, they were not as fit as their youthful counterparts, and were looked down upon by most other orcs. He would to keep an eye any problems that might arise between the different castes.

The other training officers had gathered around him, each one had his or her speciality when it came to teaching. Kargagtha was the lead trainer when it came to axes, and also somewhat served as Talgrun's second, even though all the training officers were of the same rank. While another one was more specialised in hand-to-hand and so on.

"Are they all present?" Talgrun asked of no one in particular.

"All of them present." One of the officers confirmed.

"Good. I'll just give 'em a little motivational speech and then we'll set them out on an early morning run around the local scenery. Have the weighted bags ready for that."

"Will do!"

"Oh, and plot a route beforehand. . . I don't want you somehow getting lost out there. By the time you leave, I think the other training groups will have arrived, so I can take a look at those." He gave them instructions for how long he wanted the exercise to last.

"We will have a route ready when you've finished."

He nodded and then proceeded to the trainees. Starting all the way on the left side of the front row, he slowly walked all the way to the right side while inspecting all the trainees individually. While doing so he gave his 'motivational speech'. The moment he started speaking, all the gathered orcs fell silent and listened.

"So, before me I have a group of wide variety of age! A wide variety of backgrounds! I know that some amongst you might have problems with those mixed backgrounds!" He spoke about warriors and peons not always getting along very well. "But to me none of that matters! I will NOT discriminate between age and background! Around here you are all just as worthless! But I and my officers will make sure that you are no longer worthless by the time we are done with you!"

"The other lead training officers all have their own ideas on what is more important during combat. One thinks your skills with your weapon are most important while another thinks being able to work together as a team is most important! As a result they will concentrate on those areas! I will do no such thing! Everything is equally important! In one situation one thing might be more useful, while in another something else! So, we will concentrate on all these different skills just as hard as they would concentrate on one or just a few! You may think that's impossible! You may think you can never keep up with that! But the only way you're dropping out is if you die, or if I deem you UNWORTHY!" He let that last word settle with them before finishing up. "You might think some of my methods might be not entirely standard, but not one battle follows a standard book of rules!"

He had almost reached the end of the row when he looked upon a face he hadn't expected to see amongst these trainees. The face of one who was but a child. Adonai. Adonai saw him to and cringed away, seemingly cursing himself. _What is he doing here?! _He had known from the moment he had seen 'that' look in Adonai's eyes that the boy would try something like this, but to have it happen right under his nose. _I'll just have to deal with that later. _

His encounter with Adonai had taken place over barely a split second. He went on with his speech as if nothing had happened and as far as he could tell nobody had noticed his momentary faltering. "Now, for starters, you will each go get a weighted backpack and follow the training officers on a morning run. The exercise will last until midday, with only one half-way break." He knew this was way to much to ask of them now, so he had instructed the officers to have the trainees back at the clearing by the half-way break. Than he would announce that they would leave the second half of the exercise for another part of the day and proceed with something else. That break would be the perfect time to straighten Adonai out.

"Set a brisk pace and have them back here at the agreed upon time." He told Kargagtha when the trainees were slinging their backpacks on their backs.

"Will do, cham--"

"Stop that! Just my name will do. And if that won't, 'supreme training officer'."

"But--" He raised a warning eyebrow, a trait he had learned worked well for William. "Alright. . ." She said reluctantly and then went of to lead the trainees on their exercise.

The trainees had lined up and were now being led out of the flat area and into the more rugged terrain by their officers. From behind he felt warmth upon his head, almost the only part of his body still exposed by the armour. Turning around, he saw it was the sun rising above the horizon. It would be a hot day today and he wondered whether the thick armour would also remain cool in such heat, he doubted it though. From the direction of the encampment he saw other trainees arriving, along with their officers. All in neat rows they filed into the flat area between several hills where only a few minutes ago his own trainees had been standing. He saw they were indeed all four of the other training groups. Behind these groups followed a small group of peons who, he knew, were going to set up several other pieces of equipment and a few tents for the officers in the flats.

He intercepted one of the lead training officers and before the officer could start with any formalities, demanded, "what will you start with? Mine have already gone out on their first, exercise."

"Already?" The officer asked surprised, but knew better than to press the subject. The officer quickly gave Talgrun his plans for the day. The rest of the lead training officers followed soon after with their own plans.

Not long after all the different groups of trainees had started their training, several peons arrived and began setting up several basic tents where the officers could gather if need be. Already Talgrun saw a few things he might need to make clear with some of the other officers. The fact that the many peons chosen for the training were actually supposed to have a chance, else there would be no point in having them here. He saw several of the officers constantly barking insults at the lower caste trainees, or beating them to the ground. Those officers reminded him of young Malkak, who had died just over a month ago.

He had received a list of names from one of peons and he was now looking through the list while sitting inside one of the tents. The names were of al the trainees. Behind the names the ages of the trainees had been noted and behind a few a certain heritage had been noted, such as 'Son of Warlord --- ' or 'Warsong'. It also said whether the trainee came from the peon caste. As he looked through the long list of names and the ages behind them, he wasn't interested in heritage to much, he noticed that far from everybody seemed to have reported their true age. If he compared it with the orcs he had seen gather in the training area, there should be a lot more thirty plus ages on his lists. The same went for the younger ages.

He suddenly felt tired and realized he hadn't slept for over a day. Slowly, he dozed of while still looking over the names. Splashing water in his face only helped once and for a short while. The moment he sat down again with the list in his hands, he completely dozed of.

* * *

His vision was blurry. A massive headache helped not at all to solve that. Pain in all his joints prevented him from trying to get up. His memory was doubtful at best. Unable to remember where he was and unable to get up and find out where he was, it unnerved him greatly. His vision sharpened instantly as he heard something sharp slice through something hard. It send shivers up and down his spine, the sound being awfully familiar. Managing only barely to twist his head towards the sound, he saw a display of carnage sprawled before him on the forest floor, he could now see it was a forest. 

But that wasn't what drew his attention. The orc, wearing Warsong honour guard armour, hanging in the air did. Sharp claws poked through the orcs back. _Nielak! _But his voice wouldn't work. From behind the suspended orc, a figure appeared. Even in the slight darkness, Talgrun could see it was Dethrox. The demon kept on staring at him. Rage build inside him over the loss of his friend, but it all completely ebbed away when a single lightning flash displayed a different face upon the demon's head: his own. He had killed his own best friend!

* * *

He jerked his head back as he awoke, suppressed a shout and reached for his new mace leaning against the table not far from him. Before actually grabbing the mace he realized it had been but a dream and sighed in relief of that fact. 

_What am I doing here?! _He screamed at himself. _I should be out there, making those demons pay with their lives._ Again he sighed heavily. He still had the list in his hands, but wasn't paying attention to it at all. His gaze had fixed on something in the distance, while his mind tried to determine whether he had really caused his friends death, or if he had never been able to anything about it. Before he could come to any conclusion, but long after he managed depress himself, he heard a familiar voice call for him.

Only when it called for a third time did he look up and see Kargagtha standing a few feet in front of him. "Supreme training officer Talgrun?" She called a fourth time, sounding slightly worried. She seemed to be panting slightly.

"What?!" He asked, more annoyed and harsh than he should have.

"We're back. . ."

"Ah!" He stood up. "Right, I need to have a talk with one of our trainees. You and the other officers. . . You ready the next exercise, basics of combat I belief it was." That basically meant that his officers would be ordering the peons around to ready the equipment, instead of the officers doing it themselves.

"Yes! Supreme trai--" He didn't wait for the rest of it and left the tent at a brisk pace.

As he walked amongst the trainees, who all sat on the ground while trying to recuperate from the exercise, he caught a lot of glances. Not minding them, he went on towards his goal. Up ahead Adonai was busy drinking from a flask of water, while others were trying to get the flask from him so they could drink as well. Already loose groups had formed which would stick together through training. When Talgrun's hand came down on Adonai's shoulder, it startled the kid. For a moment the much younger orc seemed almost fearful when he had turned around and was looking up at the much taller and wider Talgrun. "Walk with me for a moment. . ."

"Oh- okay" Adonai managed as he was dragged to his feet by Talgrun, who still had a firm grip on the boy's shoulder. Talgrun lead the way to a slight hill overlooking the trainees. "look. . ." Adonai started what would probably be a pathetic explanation, but Talgrun didn't let him.

"No EXCUSES!" Talgrun let himself calm down for a moment and sighed heavily. "Just what do you think you're doing here?"

After a slight hesitation, there came an answer, "I'm gonna train to be a warrior, so I can rev--."

"--So I can bury or burn another pile of useless flesh that is closer to me than I want any pile of dead flesh to be?!"

"You won't have to bury anybody. . ." Adonai stopped to seemingly think of whether to finish his sentence, but did so anyway, ". . . For you won't be anywhere near any fighting, you'll still be here, far away from the front when I am out there making life hard for _them_!"

Talgrun's voice took on a more menacing sound and he leaned forward, above Adonai. "I have seen more _glorious_ battle, and the death that follows it, than you ever will with that attitude! It'll get you killed first chance you get!"

"I'm sorry. . . I knew what I said was wrong. . ." Adonai quickly said, his apology sounding sincere.

Silence followed for almost a minute as both stared at some point or person amongst the gathering of trainees. "So, there is no way I can change your mind?" Talgrun asked, calmer now.

"There isn't. . ." Adonai answered flatly.

"Then you need to remember that while you're here, I am in no way your father's friend. While here, I am your training officer and I will treat you as such, just like the rest of them." He gestured towards the mass of trainees below them. "Understood?" Adonai nodded. "Good. NOW GET YOUR SCRAWNY GOOD FOR NOTHING ASS BACK DOWN THERE!!" The boy reeled backwards at the sound. Within seconds the boy was back down and lost amongst the others. In the distance he saw Kargagtha motioning at him to come to her. He went down to her to discuss the next exercise.

That first day of training ended late, but by that time the trainees had been thoroughly exhausted and were supporting each other on their way back to the barracks. During the short gathering that evening, all officers were able to agree upon next day's exercises and the fact that it was to early to determine which trainees were very promising and which were most certainly not promising. They agreed to bring that subject up a few days from then.

After the meeting, he had a few drinks together with a few of the other officers in a small improvised 'pub', as the owner called it, right in between the mostly Horde and mostly Alliance parts of the encampment. The pub, dubbed 'The Sword and the Axe', was run by a dwarf who had apparently no quarrel at all with orcs, servicing them as he did anybody else. He noticed Björn and William were sitting at a table on the other side of the pub. Even though he did feel the urge to go and say 'hello', he was at the moment to interested in his drink and getting to know his fellow officers. He would be spending a lot of time with them, so it wasn't a waste of time to find out what made the individual officer tick. There he also managed to get it through to their heads that he was not to be called 'Champion'.

"The title was meant, not for me, but for the entire Horde." He explained, but he soon caught a lot of vague looking glances. "The Horde needs a champion to keep morale up. If Thrall wants me to be that champion, by all means. . ." Several of the officers didn't seem to like that news very much, apparently having sincerely thought of him as their champion.

"That might be so. . ." Kargagtha started a contradiction. "But I was there, remember? When you earned that title. And I say you DID earn it!" That put the confidence back in the other officers.

"AH! You're still DENIAL!" One of the others exclaimed, already acting as if he had a few to many to drink, even though he only had one. The evening went on and turned to night. And during that first night, Talgrun found out that that particular officer really had zero resistance against alcohol, and that most of the officers had some serious doubts whether the temporary alliance between the Horde and the Alliance would hold after the war with the Burning Legion had been won. Apparently none of them had a doubt, yet, that they would somehow win the war.

When he got back to his, for a single orc, sizeable home, he stored away his armour and sat down on his bed. From a small bag attached to the armour, put there by his request, he had gotten his crystal. But he had no intention of looking into it's seemingly endless glowing depths as he sometimes did. _You're supposed to help me calm down. . . Relax. Much good you're doing me now. . . Or are you doing something else as well? Are you going to answer me? No? didn't think so. . . Just a useless piece of glowing rock! _He threw it into an open chest, which he closed soon after, but not without looking once into the chest and wondering what he was doing was the right thing. With a small key he locked the chest and the key he would keep with him.

He couldn't help but feel an urge to go get the crystal again, but he didn't. _I don't need any useless pieces of junk to be who I am! I don't need you! _For a moment he wondered why he referred to it as if it were a person, but he soon didn't think about that anymore, for sleepiness soon came back with a vengeance. The sleep came quickly, but brought nothing but more nightmares.


	21. Chapter 19: Possibility of Change

WOO! More chapters than my previous story! cough**  
**

**Chapter 19: Possibility of Change**

"You know, Xani. . . I am certain now, we're not going to get out of here. . ." Chereesa mused for the tenth time that day as she stared ahead of herself.

"You already said that today. . ."

"Yes, but I am certain now."

"You already said that as well."

After the failed breakout attempt, the centaur had not chosen to just kill the rest of them, but had instead not done anything to them for two whole days. That included giving them food and water. Their bodies had deteriorated into bony husks of what they once were and hunger and thirst, especially the thirst, gnawed at them continuously. Slowly the temperatures had increased as well during the day, until it was now truly starting to get dangerous to be in the sun for to long. Night-elves were hardy creatures when it came to surviving the natural elements, but there were limits. Already several night-elves had died of thirst, starvation and the heat.

But after those two days, and that was the day they 'lived' in today, the centaur had again started to take night-elves for execution. It was more execution now, instead of torture and then death, as if letting them die from thirst and starvation wasn't going quickly enough for them. And it was Obi who had been dragged out of the cage that morning. Barely a few screams were heard before it went silent again. But maybe it had just been an end to an even greater torture. It hadn't done any good to Xani's state of mind that it had been someone closer to her this time, but it had been even worse for Chereesa, who not long after Obi had fallen silent had openly admitted to having been in love with him and that it had been mutual. Xani had suspected that, but had never voiced her suspicions before. In a futile attempt to cheer Chereesa up, she asked what Chereesa found so attractive in Obi. She never got an answer. Chereesa had sunken away into deeper regions of her mind, trying to remember better times.

Again the dreadful moment came when centaur again stood at the entrance and had opened the door. The centaur now seemed truly far less eager to make their captives suffer. They still only pointed at one captive who had to come forth. Fear clenched Xani's heart. The centaur pointed at her! She hung her head for a moment and swallowed hard before looking at Chereesa for a moment. Chereesa was by then aware of the choice the centaur had made. They exchanged looks, but Xani only found very puzzling messages within Chereesa's.

Eventually Chereesa said, "No way. . ." And almost visibly Xani saw something snap within Chereesa. Xani's friend stood up on shaky, weak, legs. Xani was to weak to make any protest, but had wanted to shout at her, 'What are you doing? Sit back down! It's my turn!' But she couldn't, the sound wouldn't come forth from her dried throat, or at least not loud enough.

Instead of Xani, Chereesa ran at the centaur as if it were her destiny awaiting in their arms. One of the centaur caught her and for a moment had a puzzled look on his face. The centaur who caught the elf briefly exchanged glances with his companion and then shrugged. After a brief look in Xani's direction that seemed to say, 'don't worry, you'll be next' the two centaur dragged Chereesa away. Xani stretched out her arm in futile attempt to pull her friend back, but Chereesa was dozens of feet beyond her grasp.

_No no no no, don't leave me all alone! I want out to! _Her voice still would not work, though. She looked desperately at the six other night-elves remaining, but they did nothing besides give mournful looks. In her not completely sane mind anymore, she moved into a position that priestesses normally used during prayers. _By Elune, please. . . GET ME THE HELL OUT OF HERE! _She fell back and lay motionless for minutes, eyes closed, and listened for screams, but there was only silence. Only when somebody touched her, to see if she was dead, did she open her eyes again.

Kaylin hovered over her. Kaylin's expression was as emotionless as it normally was, but her voice did express concern, even though it was unrecognisably distorted by drought. "Can you hear me?" She asked concerned. Xani only nodded weakly. "Sit up, you're catching to much sun if you stay down like this." For a moment Xani wondered whether survival was the sole driving force for Kaylin, no matter in what sort of shape it might leave her. Even though Xani had lost any true will to survive, she still struggled to sit up as Kaylin had told her to.

While Xani thought she was nearing her last bit of strength, there was one who was even worse physically. The only signs that Jonno was still alive came when somebody every now and then checked whether he was still breathing.

Hours went by, but the centaur didn't return. Slowly, Xani felt her consciousness waning. Death seemed to be only inches away from her, staring her right in the face. She didn't care anymore. Her deterioration was noticed by Kaylin, who sighed as she counted the elves remaining. "Seven. . . There are only seven of us left." Kaylin said to keep Xani focused. "Seven. . . Out of. . . Tens. . . of thousands. . ." Kaylin sighed heavily again. "Tens of thousands when our battlegroup was at the height of it's strength. . ." Kaylin now seemed lost in the past herself.

Amazingly Xani's voice now did work, albeit very poorly and softly. "That isn't helping. . . Commander. . ."

Kaylin snapped back to reality. "I know. . . But the good news is. . . That _we _are still alive."

"Good?"

"See. . . We still have a chance of getting out of here. . ."

"I can't even walk. . ."

"Yeah, well, we'll just think of something for that when the time comes. Just hang in there."

Slightly, very slightly, reassured by Kaylin's words, she stayed conscious. Looking over to Jonno, she wondered whether maybe he had gone into some sort of trance, for he was still alive. He was still in the same state as he had been all day and had not moved once to her knowledge. Any sense of time she still had, left her. She fantasised about drinking whole bodies of water dry. Her barren surroundings changed to a whole ocean of cool water.

Something shook her from her delirious state of mind, quite literally. Kaylin shook her shoulders to get her back to full consciousness. The world got back into focus. Kaylin said something to her, she seemed excited about something, but Xani didn't understand. It was as if her mind was just incapable of processing the sounds and images that came to her. Kaylin disappeared from her side, of to chase what had made her so excited, Xani suspected. Slowly she remembered where she was again and she wanted it to go away again. But as she let her tilt to the side, she noticed something that made at least curious enough to stay conscious a bit longer.

Outside the cage, she saw four legged creatures running away from her position. They seemed to be afraid. She grew more interested and started fighting to truly regain full consciousness. The other elves around were excited, just like Kaylin. Xani realized that some of the sounds she was hearing were of commotion further in the centaur village. The sounds of battle. Battle against the centaur. She managed to make a link between the sounds of battle and the fleeing centaur. _Something is driving them away! _

The battle didn't last long at all, the sounds were soon gone. What replaced them to draw Xani's curiosity was a figure at the entrance to the prison. A large figure. A very large furry figure. With large sideways jutting horns. Or rather one sideways jutting horn, the other had broken of. _A tauren! _She finally realized. _A very large black tauren at that. _The tauren seemed to be equally surprised as most of the elves were. _Tauren! That's a good thing!_ Suddenly she remembered the tauren's affiliation with the orcs. Sure enough, the large tauren called out something and an orc appeared. Seemingly one in command. _Anything is better than this hellhole! _And she blacked out.

* * *

"So. . . Who have stood out so far?" Talgrun asked, rubbing the side of his head. Even though it was already evening, a massive headache was still wrecking his head, the lingering result of several pints to many the previous night. It had been an attempt to momentarily forget his problems with the past. For a moment it had worked, but it did not have a great effect on his mood the next day, and this was the fourth day in a row like this. 

The officers gathered around him in one of the tents on the training field momentarily muttered amongst themselves. These were just the officers of his own group of trainees, the officers of the other groups he could talk with another time. The muttering stopped and Kargagtha stood up to speak. The question had been about which of the trainees showed great promise. He had been meaning to discuss that subject earlier, but had decided it was to early then. "Well, two mainly stand out." Kargagtha said. "First there is Kiramm. . . She seems to overly excel in hand-to-hand combat, already after this short time. We believe she might have had some training from her parents or somebody else. She is extremely quick and agile. Besides that, she is among better quarter of all trainees in all other parts of training."

Talgrun remembered having seen her nearly beat the training officer of hand-to-hand combat to the ground during a demonstration. "I remember her, she's the one with the rather short dark red hair, right?" There were others who fitted that description, but none of those Talgrun remembered to be anything special in hand-to-hand combat. If he remembered right, she was of pretty much the exact age that orcs normally started warrior training and was of warrior parents.

"Yes, that's her. We all agree that she could go far, IF. . . She can keep her arrogance in check. She feels she is superior to almost everybody and greatly despises all those of the lower castes, including those in training."

"Like that's a big deal. . ." One of the other officers muttered.

"It is around here!" Talgrun intervened. "Anywhere else, I don't care. . . But here, they are all equal, understood?" Nods were the answers he got. "Continue Kargagtha. . ."

"Where was I? Oh yes. . . Drakken. He has the greatest stamina of anybody here, including us, and although his skills with the axe were nil when we started out with training, he is now among the best. He also seems to be talented in almost all other types of combat. He might not have been able to stand up long against Kiramm during a sparring match in hand-to-hand, but he is pretty good nonetheless."

This one Talgrun remembered as well. Also one of warrior parents. "Short, very young and somewhat lean?" Talgrun simply asked.

"Yes. . . Unlike Kiramm, he doesn't have any problems with the lower castes, but he is prone to losing his cool in a tight situation. He might need some help with that. . . Oh, and although he might be very talented, he is not the brightest of them." That somewhat reminded Talgrun of the fact that most of the officer he had under his command right now were also not exactly the smartest orcs around, but he had seen worse and knew better than to be irritated by it. "Those two are mainly who I'd say stand out mostly."

Most officers seemed contend with that, but a few seemed hesitant, but none said anything. "So nobody else in particular?" He asked. Still none said anything. He turned to one of the more hesitant looking. "You. . . Anybody _you_ think needs to be pointed out?"

"Well. . ." The officer still hesitated, feeling the pressure of all the officer looking at him. ". . . There is Kirrax."

Disapproving shouts flew through the air. "That peon is nothing special!" Was one of the things that was shouted and another was, "He's to old to still become a warrior!" There were more, but they all meant the same thing, either berating this orc for his heritage or his age. Kargagtha was amongst them as well.

"QUIET!" Talgrun shouted. "You said Kirrax. . . Why?" He asked of the same officer who had first brought the orc up. Talgrun couldn't remember anyone who went by that name, but he knew only a few of the trainees by name. He was interested, though. If that one orc could draw such divided responses from his officers. . .

"Well. . ." Again the officer seemed hesitant, but he went on nonetheless. ". . . He is absolutely gigantic, second largest orc I have ever seen. . ." A few eyes strayed towards Talgrun, as if saying Talgrun was the only orc larger than Kirrax. "he is amongst the best in all parts of training and, funnily enough, is the only one capable of beating Kiramm in hand-to-hand." Now Talgrun did remember who it was the officer spoke of.

"He is a peon and should remain such!" One of the other officers shouted and received backing of many of the other officers. And then the officers who backed the Kirrax officer joined in the argument, by starting to shout back. And from one thing, there came another.

Besides the fact that Talgrun hated the shallow mindedness of these officers, the continuous shouting didn't do good things for his headache. "SHUT THE HELL UP!" He roared. Nearly instantaneously all the officers fell silent. "Did everybody forget what I said a not so long while ago?" He stared at them all individually for a moment, daring them to say something. "Thought so. . . Now, if you have anything more to say about this Kirrax. . ."

"Uhm, yes I do. . . If not for the fact that he came from the lower castes, I'd say he already had some training sometime in the past. . . Oh and he is pretty smart to. . ." For a moment the officers again seemed ready to start arguing, but they remained silent this time. ". . . Yes, he is past thirty already, and yes, he did come from the lower castes and it will hold him back the rest of his life, but I think he nonetheless has great potential around here. . ."

"Alright, thank you. You can sit down now. . ." He let his gaze again pass over the gathered officers and then said, "I hope that by now it has gotten through your thick skulls that we are here to train all of the trainees, and not leave those of lesser heritage at the side. . . I think he made a very good point with Kirrax, that there are those of the lesser castes that are capable. Now, onto those who seem absolutely incapable. . ."

That evening proceeded without anymore incidents and not long after the meeting, Talgrun was back in 'The Sword and The Axe'. This time none of his officers had come, but he didn't care, he could use some time alone. Although now, there was nobody to hold him back on the alcohol. Drink after drink went in, and although he had a high threshold, even for orcs, the drinks began taking their effect in due time. He knew he had to many when he began feeling as if his vision was turning around. But then his mind instantly sharpened when he saw a flash of a face he shouldn't be seeing. For a moment he thought he saw Malkak walking past, who had been dead for over a month.

Thinking it was just someone who looked a lot like his dead friend, he finished his drink and looked around again. He couldn't find him anymore, but did see someone else. The bartender, that small dwarf, had somehow gotten Nielak's face. _Oh! This is a dream! _Talgrun thought to himself. _I fell asleep at the table_. But the fact that he was completely conscious discouraged that. So he shook his head and tried to look at the bartender again. Nielak's face had been replaced by the dwarf's own face again.

But now it was young Garona standing not far away from him, talking with several others. Other long dead faces began appearing. He saw Ysondra's head on another dwarf and other both possible and impossible combinations. It went on until the whole pub was filled with people he knew and who could not possibly be there. The possibility of it being a dream seemed very much more plausible than anything else he could think of. He tried pinching himself and even went as for as jabbing a fingernail into a small wound he had caught whilst training the trainees, drawing blood. Nothing would change though. He didn't wake up. Nothing at all. The faces stayed. _It is not a dream! _He thought slightly desperate and greatly unnerved.

The possibility that he was going crazy suddenly seemed very. . . Possible. He quickly got up and, unsure whether he had paid for the drinks already, put several coins of silver on the bar near the bartender. Avoiding looking at people as much as he could, he made it back to his house, quickly stored away his armour and plunged himself onto his bed.

Every night the urge to get the crystal out of the small chest was there, but this night it was even greater. "I don't need you!" He shouted at the crystal. "I just need to stop drinking. . . That's all. No more than two pints a day for me from now on. . ."

Sleep was definitely harder to get this night, but he nonetheless got at least some, before Kargagtha came to wake him as she always did early in the morning since they started the training.

But sleep hadn't driven away his waking nightmare. While Kargagtha's voice was still the same, her face had been replaced by that of the dead paladin Derrington. Hoping it would go away soon, he went about the day as normal. Fortunately he could still recognise people by their voice and clothing/armour. But the continuous reminding of the death of people he knew well in a lot of cases slowly got to him. When he saw his own father's head on the body of a young trainee, something snapped. _I have to get away from here! Somewhere without people!_

Walking over to Kargagtha/Derrington, he gave her instructions for the rest of the day and then walked away in a way that he hoped didn't attract attention. His excuse, that he 'needed to take care of something which couldn't wait', didn't seem to have been sufficient to fully convince Kargagtha, but she hadn't protested. One of the advantages of being a 'champion'.

He quickly made his way to the edge of the encampment. His plans to make a quick get away from the encampment were almost destroyed when a guard, wearing the sucked dry face of Krizslak, confronted him. While fighting against the urge to show his disgust at the sucked dry face of the guard/Krizslak, he quickly made up an excuse and hoped for the best. Surprisingly, the guard let him pass without further questions.

Wasting no time, he raced away from the encampment. Once he was certain that he was somewhere where he wouldn't be bothered by anyone, he sat down in a completely open spot, purposefully avoiding the nearby tree. The realization that he didn't have anything to drink with him didn't bother him.

The hottest part of the day hadn't come yet, and already the heat was tremendous. As far as he could tell the truly hot season of the year was approaching fast. Even though his armour was supposed to remain cool, even in warm situations, it soon felt like a sauna. But he didn't take it of. He stayed put.

In a sort trance he tried to clear his mind. Tried to find a way to get rid of his burdens. He heard a lot of things were going on around him, but he realized it was his own mind playing tricks on him. For how could there possibly be a beach in the middle of the Barrens where there hadn't been one before. The delirious part of his mind kept playing such impossible tricks on him, while the other, sane part, tried to close itself of. His mind felt broken while at the same time working at a pace he had never experienced before. Or at least that was what he felt.

That day ended and became night, but he stayed put, not moving a muscle, while trying to put his thoughts in order.

But eventually the night ended as well and became another hot day. The sun quickly replaced the cold of the night with the heat of day.

"What are you doing out here?" A strange voice asked him. He had been sitting in the baking Barrens sun for hours already that day, head turned towards the sun, but eyes closed. As he looked towards the source of the voice, he felt his eyelids had become burned by the sun. And as he spoke, he felt his lips had cracked from drought. There stood a skeletal figure wearing armour not to far away from him. It's form wavered as if it were a ghost, or a figment of his imagination.

Despite his initial disgust of the skeletal figure, he quickly noticed it wasn't wearing the head of anybody he had ever known, putting him strangely at ease. Although, he felt as if he did know this particular person although he couldn't remember who. The skeletal structure suggested it was either a tall and lanky human, or a variation of elf. "Do I know you?" He asked.

"No, for I am but a figment of your imagination." It's voice seemed completely intact, even though there was nothing that could produce the sound, it's bones had been picked clean completely. The figure approached and sat down next to Talgrun. For a moment the skeleton leaned back as if enjoying the sunlight and then turned back towards Talgrun.

"So. . . You're here because I put you here."

"No, I am not here at all. I am your creation, a figment of your imagination. You are talking to _air_."

"And does this particular bit of air know why I am talking to this particular bit of air?" From this distance Talgrun could see these were definitely the remains of an elf, for the armour suggested such. One of the elves from across the ocean, not a night-elf.

"Well, I am supposed to look like no one _you _know. At least not anybody you know personally."

"It's a bit hard for me to recognise you when you're just bones."

"That's the point."

Slowly it dawned on Talgrun that he had indeed seen this particular pile of bones before. The armour in particular reminded him of it. "I do know you!" And as he recognised the skeleton, he immediately disliked it. "You're the one I found that crystal on. You were the owner of it before I was."

"Indeed."

They remained silent for a while, the sun continuing to burn upon Talgrun's skin, while the phantasm did not even create a shadow on the ground. Eventually Talgrun said, "Well? Aren't you supposed to suggest I head back to encampment and continue normal life?"

"I could. . . But you already thought of that yourself. . ."

"Then what?!"

"How about. . . You stop living in the past and start living in the present, and start thinking about the future, instead of continuously thinking about everybody who died, in the past."

"Easier said than done."

"Yes, but not impossible. You did so before."

"That was years ago, and I had less death resting on my shoulders."

"Still, you can't keep sitting here as if you're the last orc in existence. . . There is no way you can forget what happened in the past, it will always be with you--"

"Like I don't know that! Look! I am old enough to have given that speech many times myself."

"Did anybody ever give it to you?"

"You just did. . ."

"Then get on with your life! Get your ass of the ground and back where it belongs, so you can get on with making the lives of those trainees miserable." It remained silent for a while. Then, as if it had decided it's job was done, the figment of his imagination disappeared. It's voice continued echoing in his head, though.

"I might just do that. . ." He said after the ghost was long gone.

It didn't take him long to get back to the encampment. The first thing he noticed was the fact that everybody had the correct heads again, reassuring him that he had indeed succeeded in what he had tried to do. He felt great thirst and hunger, but he had suffered through worse in the past and decided he would first go to see how his officers had held up during his absence. When he arrived at the training area he saw that everybody was going about there business as if they didn't even need him.

Unnoticed, he stepped up besides Kargagtha, who was supervising several trainees sparring with fake wooden axes. "What! Where have you been?!" She asked surprised, seemingly having momentarily forgotten a difference in rank.

"I don't need to clarify myself to you. . ." He told his subordinate, who seemed puzzled at that, but otherwise thought better than to protest. "How have you held up so far?"

She hesitated, as if still wanting to ask where he had been, but eventually just said, "When you didn't show this morning, I improvised and--" She interrupted herself to give one of the trainees the advice to watch his right side "--and decided to take some time for combat exercises."

"Good, good. So no time wasted?"

"None at all."

"Good, I'll take over from here."

When the day had almost ended, new lists of trainees were brought to him. They would start the next day and would need the space to do so. He made the lead training officers aware of that fact and then cut the day short, deciding the trainees had deserved a longer night of rest after many long days of training. There was no visit that evening to 'The Sword and The Axe', which greatly surprised several of the officers, who seemed to be eager to hear some sort of explanation for his absence.

The next day started out as nothing special. No tricks of the mind plagued him, no hangovers wrecked his head and the death of the past was pushed all the way to back of his mind where it would remain. He felt better, saner, but also felt different in another way. Just how and in what way he couldn't tell.

He was making sure the new officers and trainees were not making to much of a mess of things when a familiar person appeared at the top of a hill. The man beckoned for him to come closer. Quickly finishing up the thing he had been talking about with one of the new lead officers, he stepped towards the human.

"You look terrible Talgrun!" It was the first comment he had gotten on his burned skin and cracked lips from his sitting in the sun to long, none of his officers had dared say anything about it.

"What are you doing here, William? Don't you have duties to attend to." Now he also saw that Björn had been standing there as well, but the hill had made it impossible to see him before. "And you. . ."

"Yes, we do have duties, but not today, I made sure of that." William muttered an explanation.

"Thing is. . ." Björn said when William seemed to take a long time think of what to say next. "We were wondering how you were doing. . ."

Talgrun immediately felt suspicious. He didn't know either of them for being the type that would go to someone just to ask how they were. "Kargagtha didn't happen to put you up to this?"

"No, no, why would you think that?" William quickly said, to quickly.

"She did?"

"No!"

"So she did. . ."

Alright! She did. . ." William finally admitted. "She saw me in the pub last night and she knew you and I went back a while and figured I might be able to talk to you."

"Thing is, you have been drinking a lot lately." Björn said quickly.

"I didn't last night, and I wont be doing a lot of it from now on. . ." Talgrun quickly countered.

"Really?" William asked surprised.

"Yes, I am fine, I don't need a check up." He smiled, in an attempt to put them at ease.

"Then what about the fact that you left for a whole day without telling anybody where you were going?."

"Uhm, yeah. That might have seemed strange, but it wont happen again."

"Really?"

"Yes, really."

"So you're fine?" Björn asked.

"Yes, I, AM, FINE! Now stop asking! Unlike you, I do have. . . Things. . . To do. . . Today. . ." Something had caught his eye as it moved through the encampment some distance away.

"Are you sure?" William asked suddenly very suspicious of Talgrun's sanity.

"Yes. . ." Talgrun answered without really paying attention.

William followed the orc's eyes and saw what it was Talgrun was looking at, Björn did the same soon after. "So that's what night-elves look like. . ." Björn muttered. "I heard they are giving some of our troops up in the north in Ashenvale a hard time. From the descriptions I thought they'd be taller though."

It was a small group of night-elves. They were escorted by quite a lot of orcs and several tauren, amongst which was Walken, and they looked to be in bad shape. "Uhm, Talgrun. . ." William started carefully. "You're staring."

"I know. . ." Talgrun said quickly. He wasn't looking at the night-elves as a group anymore, but more at one in particular. One who seemed to be in a particularly bad shape and was being carried by two other night-elves. He would have to find some way to find out what they were doing here, they were supposed up in the north, being a nuisance to the Horde/Alliance forces in Ashenvale. But they were certainly not supposed to be here. He regretted having to admit to himself that he hadn't given them to much thought lately, but he _had _been busy. Maybe he could find a way to get to them, he did after all, speak their language.

A/N: R&R people.


	22. Chapter 20: The Other Way Around

I have to excuse myself for being so incredibly late, but a combination of personal life and the chapter after this one (I always want to have at least one chapter written in advance so I might be able change some things) being an incredible pain in the $$ to write. Anyhoo, here it is. A chapter I had been wanting to write ever since I split Talgrun and Xani up.

I changed my nickname/penname to the name I now use almost everywhere on the internet (or variations of it). Massecution used to be my (Warcraft 3 multiplayer) name, loooong ago.

Anyhoo, enough of me talking, get to reading!

**Chapter 20: The Other Way Around**

In her dreams, there was one constant factor: heat. Heat and drought. In one she was all alone, surrounded by terrain that was vaguely like the Barrens, but the main thing was the heat and drought. In another she was also all alone, in the same environment, but now with the many bones of those who had died of the heat and drought. In that dream she would herself be dead not long after.

Then there was another dream, one she had multiple times in a row. Now she wasn't alone. In fact, tens of thousands were there as well. The Barrens terrain had made way for a true desert with nothing but rocks and sand. The heat had increased and water only existed in one form, each other's bodies. Someone, she didn't know who, was leading them on a long trek towards an oasis or something. But the trek took to long. People soon began falling over to die where they lay. Several times the route was altered and they headed back for a while and then back again, until all they did was go in circles.

Until all were dead.

Until she finally awoke.

She opened her eyes. There was no blinding sunlight meeting her eyes, something she was grateful for. Instead Jonno seemed to be inspecting her. He seemed much healthier than last time she had seen him, although still very malnourished and thin, a little bit of filling had returned to his face. "Xani? Can you hear me?" He asked her. She only nodded once, not feeling very capable to do anything else. "Here, drink this." He brought a small cup of water to her mouth. She gladly drank the lot of it. At Jonno's side stood a large bucket of water.

Before Jonno could give her another cup of water, she looked around at the others gathered. They were all there. The realization struck that they were in a different prison now. In captivity of the orcs and tauren. Kaylin sat doing nothing, wearing new clothing, a very simple cloth shirt and pants. Xani herself still wore the same leather armour as before. Perhaps the orcs had taken away the metal armour anybody still wore as a precaution and had instead given them new clothing.

"Here. . ." Another cup of water moved to her mouth. This time she took it herself and brought it to her mouth herself. "Easy, not so quickly, you need to take it easy. You had a very near brush with death there." And after another cup of water. "Can you sit up?" She shrugged and tried to get upright, letting Jonno help. "If you're dizzy, just lie down again."

"Okay." she managed.

Jonno's face visibly lightened when she spoke, which was progress. "Do you have any pain?"

"All over. . ." Xani answered.

"Anything in particular?"

"Throat, stomach, gut."

"Alright, you just need to slowly regain your strength, and rest, a lot."

Xani looked around to get a clearer picture of where she was. Stone walls, stone ceiling, stone floor. Barred windows and a barred door. This was clearly a real prison, not some cage used to temporarily store subjects before torture and death. The fact that there was plenty of water also indicated that their new captors were more intent on keeping them alive.

Jonno saw her looking around and said, "You know. . . The orcs might have 'captured' us, but this is not one of their buildings. This building seems to belong to some sort of pink-skinned creatures. Although they are far less imposing than the orcs, they seem to have some sort of alliance."

"Pink-skinned?" She couldn't remember any of those.

"Yes. You were unconscious, but when we arrived at this encampment or village, there were a lot of them walking around."

As if they knew they were being talked about, one of the pink-skinned creatures appeared at the barred door. It was shorter than an orc and indeed, as Jonno had said, far less physically imposing. It did however wear full body armour. If she had to guess, she would say this was a somewhat older specimen, male probably.

The creature let it's gaze pass from elf to elf as if looking for a specific one. It's gaze finally rested on Xani. It's arm lifted and it pointed at her. A young orc appeared at the door and followed the pink-skinned creature's outstretched arm his eyes. The orc asked something and the other answered something, in orcish to Xani's surprise. The orc then motioned for Xani to come.

Kaylin noticed and stood up instead and walked towards the pair saying, "You can't take her! She can hardly sit! I'll go!" Kaylin pointed at herself. The orc shook his head pointed at Kaylin and motioned for her to sit down and then again motioned for Xani to come to the door. Kaylin tried again, but got the same answer. Kaylin turned to Xani with a look that seemed to say there was nothing she could do about it.

"Can you stand?" Jonno asked.

Xani tried to stand up and succeeded with Jonno's help. "I can." Carefully she took steps towards the door, still feeling dizzy. The door opened and she was given the room to get out, she had to duck though, the doorways obviously build for the shorter pink-skins. She cast a single glance back towards the other imprisoned night-elves and then let herself be guided through the hallways. The pink-skin was in front of her and the orc behind her, apparently taking not a single chance. She couldn't help but notice that the pink-skin had a large smooth sword strapped to his back, she wouldn't even be able to lift such a sword in her current condition.

After some time the hallways got higher and wider as if large objects, or maybe tauren, were often transported through that section. Eventually the human halted in front of a heavy wooden door and opened it. He motioned for her to go through. Inside there was a huge black tauren talking to a, by orcish standards, equally immense orc. The tauren she remembered having seen before, it's size, black fur and one broken of horn being unmistakeable. The orc she couldn't see well, for he stood with his back to her.

There were two chairs on opposite ends of a high table. She sat down on one of them, already feeling exhausted after even such a short trip through the building. Not long after, the tauren left. The door was closed behind him and she was alone with the orc. At the orcs feet there lay a cloth bag and in his hands he appeared to be holding something, but it was hidden behind the orc's large frame. Just like the pink-skinned creature, this orc wore full body armour, but it was a lot thicker and more ornate than the pink-skin's. She couldn't see a lot of the apparently red and black armour, for it was obscured by a large black cloak pinned to the orc's back.

"So what is the point of this?" She said softly, her voice not going any louder and knowing the orc wouldn't understand. "I know about three words of your language and you know none of mine." Her voice shook of the nervousness of being all alone in one room with a being that could snap her in half with just two fingers. That, and she always got nervous when alone with someone she didn't know, just like she got nervous in large masses of people.

"There is one who speaks your language. . ." The orc said in the night-elven language, heavily accented and broken, but it was the right language nonetheless. "And that would be me. . ." The orc turned around showed himself to be someone she hadn't seen for weeks and regretted having to admit, not thought of for days.

"Talgrun?" The new armour and several new scars, chief amongst which was a trio of thick scars on his left cheek, were not capable of convincing her that she was looking at someone else. There was no doubt that this was the orc she had known. "Is it you?"

"Who else?" He asked and he smiled slightly for a moment. "You didn't happen to have taught any other orcs your language?" She couldn't help but chuckle. Talgrun picked up the sack by his feet and approached the empty chair. He put the sack down by the chair and then sat down, putting what he had been holding the whole time on the table in front of him. It was a steaming bowl of soup. "Here. . ." He pushed the bowl to her. "I think this will do you good." She took the bowl, looked down into it and looked back up at Talgrun. "Go on, it isn't poisoned."

She didn't hesitate any longer. She ate with gusto, but did so slowly, to give her stomach the time to adjust to the prospect of real, warm, food. It tasted better than anything she had ever eaten and it gave her renewed energy. Talgrun was patient and waited for her to finish. In the mean he had brought the sack up on to the table and was rummaging through it, as if checking whether it contained all it needed to contain. When she had finished with her food, Talgrun called towards the door in a language she hadn't heard before, it wasn't orcish. Near instantaneously the door opened and a young looking pink-skin boy came in and gathered the bowl. The boy seemed fearful of Talgrun in a way, but nonetheless did what it was told to do. Talgrun told it something else in the same language and the boy bowed hastily and left again. Only once had the boy dared to look at her, as if she were something scary.

"Something to drink will be brought for you." Talgrun said.

"What was that?" She asked.

"the kid?" Xani nodded. "Oh, right. . . You wouldn't have seen any of them before. That was a human."

"Okay." She said understandingly. Her nervousness had fully gone away by then. Now that she had some more time to look at him, she noticed he wasn't looking to good himself. His face looked burned by the sun, just like hers probably did as well, his eyes had taken on a more worried look and his hair looked as if it had gained a few more grey hairs. "How have you been?" She asked finally after they had been staring at each for perhaps minutes.

"Better than you I think. I heard how they found you, in that centaur. . . 'prison'. I have heard some stories of centaur cruelty, but not quite anything like that."

She thought back to those days and mainly to the last she spend in that prison. The day she lost one of her few real friends, and another one she hadn't known for very long yet. She bend forward and rested her head and arms onto the table. Feeling as if she could cry. Thinking of it, she couldn't find any reason not to cry. "Cher. . ." She muttered softly, a tear rolling over her cheek.

Either he had very good hearing or could guess what went on in her, knowing him she guessed it was probably both, for he said, "Sorry. . ." She had her forehead pressed against the table and therefore couldn't see him, but she felt one of his hands gently tapping hers.

The door opened again and he quickly withdrew his hand. She sat up again and wiped away the tear. The human boy had come again with a simple wooden, but large, mug filled with water. She gratefully took the mug and put it in front of her on the table. Talgrun seemingly thanked the boy and then send him on his way. The boy produced an obviously fake smile and inclined his head slightly and then left again. Xani noticed that outside stood the same large black tauren with one horn snapped halfway, guarding. The door closed again.

"Ah, that's Walken." Talgrun explained.

"Oh." Xani said sombrely, still thinking back. She took up the mug and drank, the water feeling refreshing.

Another period of silence followed, but it was eventually broken by Talgrun. "So what happened to you after I. . . Escaped? I thought you'd head north, deeper into the forest."

"We did, but we ran into demons and decided to head back to the Barrens instead, believing there might be another way into Ashenvale. Centaur ambushed and imprisoned us." Her eyes fixed on something far away, while she relived that period. "One at a time they took one of us and tortured him or her until they died." She heard could hear the screaming again. She no longer noticed her own surroundings. "Sometimes they'd throw the heads back into the prison." She heard somebody in the distance calling for her, but she didn't pay attention to it. "The food they'd give us was partly made up of the meat of those of us they killed." Her real surroundings had disappeared and she was back in her prison in the Barrens. "We made a unsuccessful escape attempt, but we ended up losing to many." Very faint she heard somebody again calling her name. "The heat. . . The drought." she mumbled as she started feeling sick. She could feel the summer sun burning up high again.

She felt somebody shake her shoulders first gently and then, when she didn't react, harder. She forced herself back to reality and looked upon Talgrun's concerned face. He had gone around the table and was at her side now. "Xani? Can you hear me?" His hand went up to touch her forehead, feeling whether she might have a fever. "His face grew more concerned when he retracted his hand and he again said, "Can you hear me?"

Her eyes, now her own again, fixed upon Talgrun's. weakness took over and she fell forward against him. He caught her before she could hit the spikes jutting out of his shoulder armour. Eternally grateful that he was there, and before she knew it herself, she wrapped her arms around his thick neck. Taken aback by the hug he hesitated, but returned it eventually. "Thank you." She whispered.

"Uhm. . ." Talgrun muttered, not quite sure if it was a fever talking or really her. New tears rolled over her cheeks and dripped upon his armour. "I think. . . it. . . It would be best if I brought you back to others. You're ill."

"I'm getting better. . ."

"Yes, but you're still i--"

"--Please!" She interrupted as energetically as she could to convince him she was well enough.

He took a little bit of distance from her, still holding her upright with one arm, while he picked up the mug and offered the rest of what was in it to her. She took it and eagerly drank what was left in it. "Alright. . ." He finally said when she had finished the water and he took the mug from her. She sat up straight again and he went back to his seat across from her. "We'll just stay of the centaur subject. . ." She gave him a new grateful look and he returned it with a smile. "You spoke of demons in the forest of Ashenvale. . . How many?"

"Don't know, we left before we had a chance to count. But a lot." She described how both she and Jonno had had the same feeling that they could have walk right into a large gathering of demons at any time, she also described the encounter with a night-elven survivor who had been infected by something.

"And you had no contact at all with any other night-elves?"

"Except that one, none at all." She realized he was interrogating her, but he seemed to know there wasn't a lot she could tell him, just as it had been when it was the other way around. He asked a few more questions, but she was only able to give vague answers, partly because she had never known the answer and partly because her memory was not entirely intact yet after her brush with death. He soon ran out of questions, so he started writing down some of the more important things she had told him. He was done quickly.

"You're looking better already." He commented when he was done with writing.

She felt better to, the food had done wonders for her. Another period of silence threatened to commence, but Xani headed it of and asked, "What is the new armour for?"

"Combination of the old armour being completely broken and a promotion." He didn't seem to happy about the new rank, though.

"Promotion?"

"It's more of an honorary title, rather than an actual rank. You know, to give the morale of the other warriors a boost."

"Well. . . What is it, then?" She asked curiously.

"Champion." He said in orcish and then repeated it in elven to clarify. He said it quickly, as if he wanted to be rid of it as quickly as possible.

"You don't seem happy about it. . ."

"I'm not." He said while rubbing the trio of scars on his cheek. When she gave him a look which encouraged him to elaborate, he did, but only reluctantly. She immediately regretted encouraging him to do it, for he seemed to have been tortured by the memories enough times already. "On an assignment, I made a couple of decisions which perhaps saved the life of the Warchief who then got the opportunity to free the orcish race of the unnatural bloodlust which had been with us for generations. That is why I am now a '_Champion_'."

"That doesn't sound like the wrong way of receiving such a title. . ." She said. He gave her a thankful look, but it soon disappeared. He clearly wasn't finished yet.

"While I did, possibly, save the life of the Warchief and therefore. . ." He sighed. "You know the rest of it." He again sighed heavily. "those decisions also meant the death of almost everybody who was with me, including my best friend, amongst others who I counted as friends. That's why I'm not. . . Happy, about it."

She realized that while she had experienced horrifying things, he had as well. "I'm sorry for bringing it up. . ."

"Don't be. I actually feel better now that I told someone." He did seem relieved somewhat. "Thank you." A new uncomfortable silence threatened to develop. Xani began feeling sick again. Her stomach felt as though it had ripped. She did her best not to show it, though, and succeeded at least enough for Talgrun not to notice. "Here, take a look at this." He put the pack, which had been resting on the ground before, onto the table in front of him.

"What's in it?"

"Just look and see for yourself. . ." He just said. Slightly suspicious of his intentions, she reached across the table and pulled the pack towards her. As she did so, her stomach pain increased suddenly. She tried to suppress a reflex, but saw Talgrun had noticed it nonetheless, but he didn't do anything. Thankful that it had only been a sudden jolt of pain, she went on with inspecting the pack. The bag was now in front of her. When she started fiddling with the rope which kept the top closed, Talgrun said, "I noticed that you didn't have your own bag with you when you arrived here. . ."

"The centaur took it from me when they captured us." She replied as she looked inside it. After turning it to the light which came through a series of barred windows on one side of the room she saw what it was the bag contained. There were various thick piles of paper held together by string. Also there was a smaller bag which only contained various pieces of charcoal. "These are. . ." She halted as she looked through the pack again. "Replacements for all the stuff I lost when the centaur took my bag." she looked up at Talgrun. "You remembered how much I liked to draw!"

"Yeah. . . I am sorry I couldn't get you anything with sharper. . ." He gestured at the bits of charcoal which had replaced proper pencils. ". . .but my superiors wouldn't take that risk. They did agree with me that this would be a gesture of good will."

"It will do just fine. But a gesture of good will for what?"

"You know. . . 'you won't get hurt if you cooperate'"

"Ah, of course." She bend forward again to take another look inside the bag, but felt the pain in her stomach return with renewed intensity. Now she couldn't hide it anymore. The pain also didn't last for only a short while this time.

"Xani?" He asked, worry fully back in his voice. She slowly doubled forward as she was unable to push the pain away. Slowly she rolled of her seat and onto the ground, while holding her stomach as if it might explode if she didn't. She heard Talgrun's seat being shoved backwards and then his heavy metal boots pounding the ground as he sped around the table to her. "Xani?" He asked again when he was leaning over her prone form. "You need more rest. A lot more of it." He called to the door. Near instantly the door opened and the tauren, Walken, came in, followed by the human who had brought her to the room. When they had approached, Talgrun told them something she couldn't understand, but she could guess what it was. "They'll take you back to your prison." He told her.

The pain waned slightly again, but it was still there. She couldn't blame him for sending her back to her cell. He helped her up. Before either the human or the tauren could take her out of the room, she grabbed Talgrun's arm and asked weakly, "Will you be back?"

He hesitated, his gaze flickering towards his human and tauren companions before going back to her. Then he said, "I have other duties as well, but I'll try what I can." He gave her a short smile and said, "And I'll have to speak with Kaylin, she might be able to give me some more specific information." she let go and let herself be transported back through the hallways. The human had taken the bag with him.

* * *

While he watched William and Walken escort Xani away from him, he wondered whether that hug had been all her, or if the fever had anything to do with it. He could hardly call himself an expert on night-elf physique, but there was no way the warmth he had felt, when he checked her forehead, could be healthy. But then again, you could be both fully aware of yourself and have a severe fever at the same time. . .

He was pulled from his thoughts when a hand came down on his shoulder. After turning around, he saw it was Thrall. "Warchief!" He saluted.

"Champion." Thrall acknowledged. "I need to speak with you. . ." The Warchief guided Talgrun back inside the room where Talgrun had 'interrogated' Xani a minute ago. Thrall didn't sit down, so Talgrun leaned against the table in an attempt to be a bit more at eyelevel with Thrall, he was far taller than the warchief.

"About what?"

"I intend to inspect the trainees."

"But barely a week has gone by. . ." Talgrun protested. "There are a few who are doing well, but most are--" Thrall held up a hand, stopping Talgrun mid sentence.

"I understand that, but I need to know how many able warriors there might be here in the event that they are needed. That and me just appearing might spur them to put even more effort into it."

"And why would they be needed? Last I heard, Only the night-elves and the few demons up in Ashenvale are causing us trouble."

"There is more trouble brewing. . . Those new lackeys of the Burning Legion, the undead scourge, have been sighted not far to the south of here. A large, army if you will, is slowly heading this way. From the few scout reports I've gathered, they are more of a loose gathering held together by a few leaders. Also, there are a number of demons marching with them. Since we have never fought this enemy before, we have no idea of their strengths and weaknesses. The humans and dwarves have been helpful, but they didn't know much about the scrourge's strengths and weaknesses, they were mainly running away from them until they came here."

"So. . . You wish to know whether the trainees can be depended upon when the scourge does get here. . ." Thrall nodded. "How long will it take them to get here?"

"Half of our forces here will be send out to eradicate them, or at least keep them away from the civilians here, which should be more than sufficient since they have all got experience. But should the undead not be intercepted and continue on towards the encampment at the same speed, three days would be the time they'd take. It is highly unlikely though, but that would be the earliest they could be here."

"And when would you want to inspect the trainees?"

"As soon as possible."

"Tomorrow is as good a day as any."

"I'll be there around noon then, I have things to attend to that morning. Don't change anything in the training routine, just tell them I'll be there."

"Very well, Warchief." Talgrun quickly saluted as Thrall left again. As Thrall left, Talgrun wondered what was keeping Walken and William. He had told them to, after they had left Xani back in the prison, take Kaylin to him. He had given them some descriptions of what Kaylin looked like, so they shouldn't have had any trouble finding her.

* * *

The barred door opened and they let her back in. Immediately both Jonno and Kaylin were there to help her walk towards the wall and sit down against it. "What did they do to you?" Kaylin asked, but before Xani could say anything in return, the human had walked into the prison. Without saying anything the human deposited the bag near her and then motioned for Kaylin to come with him.

Kaylin didn't do so. Waiting for Xani to answer. "They brought me to Talgrun. He does the interrogations." Xani said. Her stomach still didn't feel well again. "He gave me that." She gestured at the bag. "As a sign of good will that we won't be hurt if we cooperate."

Jonno was inspecting her temperature when he said, "You should be resting." Xani nodded her agreement.

The human was noticeably getting impatient, for he again motioned for Kaylin to come with him. "Fine." She muttered and stood up. "So it's Talgrun?" Xani again nodded. Kaylin seemed to be cursing that fact, probably thinking about the fact that she had interrogated Talgrun herself once. She then went with the human out the door.

"What did he want to know?" One of the other night-elves asked.

"She needs rest." Jonno interrupted. "She's still ill." She silently thanked him for that and when the others had retreated to their own corners of the cell, she lay down on one of the bedrolls.

Sleep was quick to come and overwhelm her when she had lain down on the semi-soft bedroll. _Things could be worse. . . _She thought just before she fell asleep.

* * *

Talgrun had noted hints of fear in Kaylin's demeanour. He remembered last time when the two of them had been in a similar position, except it had been the other way around. Kaylin hadn't resorted to force then, but had hinted at the possibility of it in the future. He had now given her those same hints that, if they didn't cooperate, his patience might run out. He had no real intention of that, but his superiors might. Fortunately for her, she had been most willing to give him any information she could regarding the centaur and demons. He realized that getting any information regarding other night-elven forces would be improbable, since all their positions would have changed by now. He had only managed to get some idea of how many soldiers the night-elves had in total.

Eventually he had ordered her taken back to the cell again, believing he had gotten more information than he had thought he would have. He was still putting the numbers down on paper when William and Walken returned.

"So. . . How well do you know her?" William asked.

He looked up momentarily from his writings and then went back to writing while saying, "Commander Kaylin? I don't know her well at all."

"I didn't mean her. The other one."

"Why do you ask?" He was beginning to feel backed into a corner, but nonetheless forced himself stay calm and keep writing as if there was nothing going on at all.

"Well, I couldn't help but notice, and Walken here noticed it to. . ." He heard Walken giving an agreeing grunt. "She seemed almost reluctant to go back to her cell. You now, she grabbed your arm and all that."

Talgrun couldn't write on anymore, at least not without needlessly staining the paper. So he put the quail, which was to much to thin for his fingers anyway, down and looked up at them from his seated position. "She was ill, you know what fevers can do, right?"

"She seemed pretty lucid to me. . ." William countered.

He couldn't just tell them to leave it be, it would only make them more suspicious, they knew him to well. "She's the one who found me wounded and then healed the wounds. After that she was the one who taught me her language. Alright? I know her better than I know those other elves. Just that."

"Alright." William just said, but although William seemed convinced, Walken didn't seem to be.

* * *

[A/N: The next chapter will have some combat! 


	23. Chapter 21: Undead Inbound

As I said, a battle chapter. And a long one at that. This chapter is the most important reason why I was abscent so long. I rewrote this chapter numerous times. The first time it was even seperated into three chapters totalling well over thirty pages in word. I scrapped the first two chapters of those and decided to concentrate on the last, far more important, one.

Anyhoo, enough of me talking.

* * *

**Chapter 21: Undead Inbound**

Death.

There had been a lot of it that day, yet there was a lot more to come. Trapped they were now, trapped in the headquarters building in the middle of the encampment. Outside, the undead were trying their best to get inside, by bashing themselves into the gate. That gate, the only way into the stronghold, was thick and sturdy enough to have resisted the efforts of many a abomination trying to smash it's way in.

It was night now, although you wouldn't be able to tell. There was a thick swirling roof of clouds over their heads which had been there since the afternoon. It was part of one of the undead's, or rather Dethrox's plans to break the defenders. Since the clouds' creation, no sunlight had been able to come through. Yet there was still light, for in the centre of the swirling mass of clouds burned a green light which shone a constant eerie green light upon the ground below.

He looked up momentarily from the hastily draw battle plan, which had been drawn in the sands of the courtyard. In the courtyard there were around three hundred warriors of all races of the Alliance and the Horde. All battered and shaken. Their wounds had been dealt with, yet within they had been scarred more than any number of small skirmishes would be able to cause. For today they had all been hit in the face with a massive amount of carnage.

The one sitting next to him, who had also been pouring over the battle plan, looked up and followed his gaze, trying to determine what he was thinking. "Talgrun." Kaylin finally said, pulling him back to the matter at hand.

* * *

He had been shaken from his bed by Kargagtha that morning. It had still been long before sunrise. She was to take him to the stronghold, she had not been told why. At the stronghold though, the problem became clear to them. They had known that there was one large army of undead lumbering through the Barrens towards them, but forces had been send out to eliminate them. Yet what had not been known to them, was that there was a second army, far larger than the first, also heading their way from the east. Half of their forces had been send to deal with the first undead army before that army could reach the encampment. But now the remaining half would have to face of against a force several times larger than the first. Their fastest messenger had already been send out to the Warsong village to request reinforcements.

Plans had been made quickly. A main defensive line had been created a mile away from the encampment, numbering over 150.000 warriors. When the undead, even more they saw than had been expected, had clashed with the main defence, a second plan had been put into effect. 6000 wolfriders and knights upon their steeds led by warlord Firetusk had circled around and attacked the undead's rear in an effort to take out the undead's long range weaponry. The plan had succeeded. But the luck of the defenders had ended there. A massive spell, which Talgrun had found out it had been cast by Dethrox, had caused the sky to grow cloudy and swirl. And from those clouds, which had blocked out the sunlight, dozens of fiery infernals had descended upon the defenders. In the centre point of the swirling clouds, a green pulsating light source had developed, replacing the sun.

They had retreated towards the edge of the encampment. But this new defence lasted even shorter than the previous. First the left flank had buckled underneath the continuous onslaught of an undead army several times the size of the defenders army. Again the call for retreat had sounded across the Barrens. Yet, there hadn't been any plans for retreating any further, there just hadn't been any time to make those plans.

In Talgrun's mind it had seemed reasonable that the stronghold would be the perfect centrepiece of a new defence. It had thick walls which could not be breached without siege equipment, which the undead didn't have anymore, and a thick gate to keep the undead out for a long time. Also, it had towers on each of the corners from which sharpshooters and archers could fire their rifles and bows and within it's centre there was a large open courtyard in which you could fit several hundred warriors.

While he had ordered everybody near him to go there, he had also remembered something else. There were many spellcasters amongst the undead. Within a chest in his home he had stored away a crystal of which he didn't know just how powerful it was. To be certain the undead would not be able to use it against them, he had taken the detour to his home, had collected the crystal and had then sped towards the stronghold.

Yet the stronghold had not become the centrepiece for a new defence. He and the three hundred within the stronghold had remained alone. They had been forced to close the gates and wait it out.

They had lasted for several hours like that. Talgrun had found he was the highest ranking officer. In an effort to find help for the many wounded, he had ordered the night-elven prisoners to be released and given weapons and armour that fitted them as well as possible. The two priests amongst them would be the most useful. The elves hadn't resisted at all, for they wanted survive as much as the rest wanted to, and they had a better chance to do so when working together.

* * *

His attention kept slipping away from the battle plan and to those trying to make the best of it as they sat around the courtyard. A lot of them were trainees. 200 trainees who had already shown to be capable had been chosen to join in the defence. Adonai, son of his dead best friend, was amongst them. No matter how much he had protested against it, his fellow training officers had insisted the boy was capable enough to hold his own amongst the experienced grunts. The trainees had stuck together, working together surprisingly well, and many of the 200 had survived to now be stuck inside the stronghold. The rest who made up the 300 were a mixture of the trainers and others who had passed by the stronghold when the trainees were entering it.

Many were still wounded, but the most critically injured had already been healed. Talgrun himself was injured as well, the result of holding of a small force of undead on his own so the rest had the opportunity to retreat, amongst other acts which would demand respect of any orc. While most of his body was covered by armour, several claws had found their way past it. The fact that he had been mounted upon the wolf, Sasha, throughout the battle so far had allowed him to catch up after the others had retreated. Yet he hadn't allowed anybody to heal him yet, not even Xani, others had been far more gravely injured, the wolf, Sasha, amongst them. He found he had grown strangely fond of the wolf.

Just after retrieving his crystal from his home before the undead could ransack it, an undead monstrosity had opened up her flank with it's claws. The wolf had made it to the stronghold only barely and Talgrun had needed to support her as she went, but there the healers had been able to heal her wounds.

Kaylin, him and several other officers continued developing their battle plans. Kaylin quickly gained the respect of the others, including Talgrun, with her large amount of experience. The gate was being reinforced. Barricades were being set up in the courtyard. Outside the moaning of the undead continued. Further away the sounds of battle continued with intensity. By now they had found out that the new main defence had been created all the way on the other side of the encampment and it was holding far better than the previous attempts to hold the undead.

While the others discussed among themselves and Kaylin stared at the battle plan which the depicted the stronghold as seen from above, Talgrun's gaze slowly swept through the courtyard. His gaze passed over several barrels standing on one side of the courtyard. "Hmm, that might work. . ." He muttered.

"What?" Kargagtha asked. She had survived so far as well.

"Alcohol. . ." Talgrun muttered.

"This is not the time for drinking." Kargagtha said in a way that she seemed happy to say something a bit more light-hearted.

Talgrun didn't listen. He only stood and walked towards one of the towers and went up the stairs to the parapet at the top. There he found several dwarves, orcs and humans. They weren't raining down any bullets or arrows upon the undead below, for they had already done so earlier that day and might need their bullets and arrows later. Right now they were just staying out of sight so the undead wouldn't go crazy at the sight of them. Kaylin and the officers had followed him up in the tower.

"And why did you drag us into this tower?" One officer demanded.

He stayed low and edged to the side of the parapet from where he could look down upon the undead trying to bash their way into the stronghold. Several abominations, several corpses stitched to make one large monstrous creature, were trying to crack the gate, yet they worked in a disorganised fashion which minimized their effectiveness. Behind them was a whole ocean of undead of all shapes and sizes. Most common were ghouls, skeletons and necromancers.

Necromancers weren't hard to recognise, they still looked mostly like humans wearing robes and wielding dark magic. That magic allowed them to, amongst other fiendish things, resurrect the dead as skeletons to do their bidding. It had been one of those tricks the undead had used, to suddenly resurrect every dead body that lay on the ground, throwing the defenders in disarray. There were only a few here though.

There were a lot of skeletons down there, the result of the necromancers many resurrections. Coined skeletons because if they had been resurrected a longer while ago, all you might see were bones, yet they'd still be just as deadly as when newly resurrected. These were all newly resurrected and thus still had most of their flesh on them, the wounds from which they'd died were still present. The ground before the gate was a complete mess as a result, for a lot of blood and intestines had slipped from those wounds onto the ground. The smell was horrible, at least within the courtyard the smell had been dampened, but up hear the full fetid smell hit you in the face like a sledgehammer.

Ghouls made up the largest part of the undead forces. They could be the most dangerous if underestimated. Although undead were in general not very fast, the ghouls were far from slow. Their twisted bodies could easily overtake an orc or human sprinting away from them. Their long claws were sharp enough to pierce through most armour. Their forward hunched bodies were but shadows of what they had been in life, while skeletons might sometimes be recognised. Both skeletons and ghouls fought without caring whether they'd be injured.

Both Kargagtha and Kaylin edged to the side of the parapet as well. "Did you get a brilliant idea?" Kargagtha asked dryly.

Talgrun looked back towards the barrels and muttered, "Perhaps. . ." And he looked back to the mass of undead. "How well do undead burn?" He asked Kargagtha. Kaylin in the mean time was just trying to understand what they were saying.

"Well. . ."

Talgrun cut her of before she could continue. "Those barrels there. . ." He pointed at them. "They contain some very strong rum. If we pour it down on the undead and set it alight, it would be the end of many of them and leave a barrier for the rest of them for a while."

"Then how do we light it?" One of the other officers asked.

"Don't we a mage or some wood we can set alight and then throw down?"

"There is a mage down there." A human officer remarked, one apparently proficient at orcish.

"Great! Then we have a plan! Get the barrels and the mage. It's the two barrels with 'rum' painted on the side of it." Instead of doing it themselves, the officers send others to fetch the rum, while the human officer went to get the mage. In the mean time he translated the plan to Kaylin, who could only smirk and say she liked it. While the barrels were brought up, Kaylin and he quickly determined where the fire would do the most damage.

The mage arrived. Immediately he recognised the human. "Wait a minute. . . Aren't you the one who came with us when we went to rescue Grom. . ." The mage had managed to take down an infernal in a single spell, he was capable indeed.

"I am. . ." The mage said solemnly. For a moment Talgrun thought of William, Björn and Walken. The only one of them he had seen this day was Walken. Walken had been all the way on the frontline of the main defence. _Well, if there is any tauren that can survive that, it's him. _The massive black tauren would be more than capable of holding of the undead.

As the mage spoke, the barrels were brought up. Below them, the undead were becoming restless, they had spotted them. Everybody down in the courtyard was now aware that they had a plan and were watching as they went.

"I take it you now your fireball spell?" Talgrun had seen mages do their destructive work during the second war.

"I'd rather stick to frost, but my fireballs are as good as any." The mage looked at the barrels with suspicion.

"Good, I'll need you to light something in a moment." He and Kaylin finished determining where the rum should be thrown. The barrels were brought closer. With slight effort Talgrun cracked the top of the first barrel with his mace. Inspecting it's contents, it was almost full. As he started pouring the rum down onto the undead, spreading it as much as he could, Kaylin shouted advice. When the barrel was empty he threw it down onto the nearest abomination, which only looked up annoyed. The dwarves were the only ones looking as if they would have wanted to preserve the drinks. Without any doubt in plan he said to the mage, "Light it!" Within a single second numerous small fireballs shot towards various undead, lighting them all.

Cheers went up in the two towers overlooking the gate as the mass of undead in front of the gate went up in flames. The rum caught on fire almost instantly, causing a temporary firestorm, enhanced by the mage's abilities. The flesh melted of the undead. Their bones burned. Slowly they collapsed in burning heaps. Any undead stupid enough to jump into the fire followed the same fate. The fire burned bright. On the request of one officer the mage cast minor spells to intensify the fire and keep it burning longer than it should. Last to fall were the abominations, their thick hide resisting the fire longer than the ghouls and skeletons. The only ones bright enough to get out of the danger were the necromancers.

"Take that you brainless ass--" The dwarf who had been shouting halted suddenly. The dwarf started shaking all over and fell down.

"What?!" One of the dwarf's companions shouted. Talgrun leaned over the dwarf while someone else went to get a healer. The dwarf's eyes glowed green and his hair changed from black to snow white within seconds. As the dwarf kept shaken violently, a small bit of blood dripped from the dwarf's nose, ears and eyes. The dwarf's companions were shouting at the stricken one to stay awake, but the dwarf was fading away.

With a jerk Talgrun stood and leaned over the edge of the parapet. He ignored the heat of the fire as he searched for some spellcaster maintaining the spell. He found the necromancer. "That one! Over there!" He shouted at the dwarves. "Kill him!" Shots rang out. Bullets flew and ripped though the flesh of the necromancer. Several arrows shot forth as well. Now other necromancers were preparing their spells as well. "Shoot ANY necromancers you see!" Shots continued ringing out. He went back to the stricken dwarf, but the hardy creature had already died of the spell, yet the eyes still glowed eerily green. Several other dwarves were still hunched over the corpse, muttering amongst themselves in their own dwarves language, friends of the dead dwarf lying on the ground. "Get to shooting those necromancers!" He shouted at the dwarves.

They looked like they'd rather stay with their dead friend, but obeyed the order nonetheless. He then turned to Kaylin and was about say something, when her expression went from expressionless to a mixture of surprise and fear as she looked past him. Whatever could make her fear, worried him greatly. "By Elune. . ." She muttered. "LOOK OUT!" She shouted at him and tried to pull him away.

No matter the strength of a night-elf, he was far to heavy for a single individual of that race to move. He was in process of turning around when something hit him against the side of his head. For a split second his vision went black and he fell down hard. A mixture of surprise and pain incapacitated him for a moment, but it didn't last. As he looked to what had hit him, he saw it had been the but end of a rifle with on the other end of it the dwarf who had only seconds ago been presumed dead. In one smooth arc, Kaylin drew her human made sword and decapitated the reanimated dwarf. The dwarf's body toppled over the side of the parapet and descended into the waning flames, while the head bounced once and then followed the body into the fire.

While the other officers were still seemingly surprised by what had happened, Kaylin already offered a hand to help Talgrun up. He took the hand, despite the fact she wouldn't be able to lift someone half his weight up in that manner. "Do look out. . . It would be a waste to lose you to such a backstabbing attack. I suspect morale would crash if that happened." She said, expression emotionless again.

"Yeah, yeah. Thanks anyway." Below them the fires had disappeared completely. Again, undead flooded the area in front of the gate.

"How many of them are there?!" One orc asked desperately in between firing arrows. Talgrun didn't know the answer, nor did he want to, for it was probably such a high number that he'd despair.

"Now now! I thought had I killed you!" An awfully stuck up voice called from below, surprisingly in night-elven, amongst the undead. He already knew who it was before he turned around to look at the dreadlord.

"Dethrox! How nice of you to come. . ." He said at a fake friendly tone as he turned around towards the dreadlord. Two doomguards stood at Dethrox's side. It remained eerily quiet between them as they looked at one another, while around them the shots and shouts continued to pierce the air.

"Well, now that we meet for the second time, I think some formal introductions are in place." Dethrox said at last, the stuck up tone dripped from Dethrox's voice. "I am Dethrox, of the Nathrazim, formerly Mannoroth's second in command, but after that stunt you pulled they demoted me to commanding this bunch." He gestured at the undead with dislike. "And you?"

"Talgrun, originally of the Bleeding Hollow clan. Formerly a senior sergeant for the Warsong clan, but after that little stunt I pulled on _you_, promoted to champion of the Horde." The fact that the same act which had demoted Dethrox, had promoted Talgrun, along with the defiant tone he spoke, enraged Dethrox. He noticed Kaylin understood fully what they were saying to each other, but she seemed to wonder why he was going along with it.

The dread lord calmed down again and said, "You're the first to give me a real fight, especially considering you wield no magic at all. It'll be interesting to fight you again."

"You'll first have to get in here!"

"Stall him!" Kaylin whispered to him. "It may give us some extra time."

"My dear night-elven commander," Dethrox said. "I will get in there whenever I want to! I can just drop an infernal right in the middle of your stronghold at will." To prove his point he raised a hand to the sky, where the green shining light source abruptly started pulsing madly.

"Do remember that I have a frosty mage here ready to deal with such an infernal at a moments notice." He replied, his continually fake kind voice continuing to anger Dethrox. The mage had done so before after Dethrox had called forth two infernals from the sky after they had taken Grom from the Warsong village, but if the mage could do so at 'a moments notice' he didn't know.

"Really?" Dethrox said, seemingly convinced. "I'll still get in there whenever I want to." With a few gestures of his hands, several Abominations stepped forward while all other undead cleared a path between the abominations and the gate. Talgrun knew that if the abominations would try to break down the gate in a more organised fashion, the gate would fall a great deal sooner.

"Can't we just shoot the dreadlord?" Kaylin asked, more in a way that she ordered him than actually ask him.

"We can." He then proceeded to order the dwarves shoot. He now saw several more orcs, humans and trolls had joined them in the towers with bows and spears. A salvo of bullets, arrows and spears flew towards Dethrox. Dethrox merely raised a hand and the projectiles halted in midair, then dropped to the ground. "Should have seen that coming. . ." Talgrun mused. The sharpshooters and archers looked at him, as if wanting new orders. "Shoot the abominations then! And if you see a necromancer, shoot that one first." Shots again rang out, but the Abominations' thick hide and flesh protected them well.

A slight movement of Dethrox wrist, and the abominations charged towards the gate. Four abominations crashed into the gate simultaniously, putting the gate under considerable stress. "See? I WILL get in!" The abominations repeated the process again and again. When one fell, another would take it's place.

"Get the second barrel!" Talgrun shouted at one of the dwarves. A few seconds later, the barrel appeared in front of Talgrun. A short glance towards Dethrox revealed to Talgrun that the dreadlord had no idea what Talgrun was doing. Talgrun smashed the upper part of the barrel and, with Kaylin's advice on where, poured the rum down onto the abominations. "If you will. . ." He told the mage. Within seconds, fireballs had set every abomination and the ground in front of the gate alight. The flames rapidly consumed the flesh of the abominations.

"You continue to surprise me, Talgrun!" Dethrox shouted. "But I'll still get in there!" With a downward movement of his arms, Dethrox managed to magically douse the flames. "See?" New abominations walked up and charged the gate, causing the gate to give a little bit more each time. Like this it wouldn't take long for the gate to be destroyed.

"Are there any other barrels which will do?" Kaylin quickly asked.

"It won't do us any good! He'll just put out the flames again." After a quick look down at the everybody in the courtyard, who were generally looking up at him, he turned to the sharpshooters, archers and spear throwers. "You continue to fire at them!" He then turned to the officers on the parapet. "Everybody down, they'll get in here in a while and everybody needs to be ready!" The officers immediately obeyed and descended to the courtyard, where they started organising the defenders. Of Kaylin he asked, "Can all your warriors handle a bow?"

"We are raised with bows from the day we can walk." She replied simply.

"Good enough. . . Get yourselves some bows and position yourselves inside the courtyard so you can shoot the undead as they get through the gate, get them in a crossfire between the towers and you." Kaylin gave a slight bow that she agreed and went to her fellow elves to explain the plan. "And you. . ." He turned to the mage. "If you have any large scale spells to throw at the undead, please prepare them. And use them when the undead get through the gate." The mage to nodded and went to do as asked.

He then went down into courtyard himself and looked for the one who had taken responsibility of healing all the injured. "We be done healin' them wounded." The troll witchdoctor said when Talgrun asked. The troll had clearly spend all his energy. The other healers looked similarly spend. "Them two elves been a great help to, they be very good at healin'" The troll reluctantly admitted, trolls had a long running animosity with anything that looked remotely elven.

"Good. . . Get ready for some fighting, it won't be long until the undead get in here." The troll saluted and went of to spread the message among the other healers. All around him the warriors prepared. They lined up behind the barricades. A few still had spears with them, but slowly they were running out of things to throw or shoot. Outside the gate the roaring of the undead continued uninterrupted. In a steady slow rhythm the abominations kept throwing themselves against the gate, with increasing success. It would still be several minutes, Talgrun estimated, until the gate would give in, but it would give in eventually.

As he walked passed the trainees, they were still bunched up, he put a hand on Adonai's shoulder and then spoke to the trainees and the few officers which still stood with them. "Remember to be careful to not lose yourselves. We're going to get out of here, we just need to wait for the rest to reorganise and come for us. DON'T go on a rampage! These undead may not be threatening on their own, but enough of them will still bring you down easily, especially now that we have all already had a whole day of fighting behind us." His words brought some confidence back to them.

Amongst the trainees stood the large Kirrax as if he were a beacon around which the trainees had gathered. The peon turned promising grunt had been holding the trainees together for the whole day now. Almost all the other trainees had put his background aside and had listened to him if there hadn't been any officers nearby.

As he walked away from them again, intending to go to Sasha, Kargagtha followed him. "Will they really come? We have already been here for hours. . ." She looked truly uncertain. She was still young and might have a long life ahead of her if she'd survive. She was obvious not keen on dying. "And no pep talk lies!"

"Look, everybody else is all the way on the other side of the encampment. By now, they have probably seen the smoke from the fire. They know we are out here. Whether they can get to us. . . They'll need to get past a lot of undead to do so. . ."

"Can they do that?" She asked, now even more concerned.

"I don't know. That is up to them." Talgrun answered honestly. "But don't tell them" He gestured at the trainees. "I don't need a bunch of trainees breaking down on me."

"FINE! I won't tell them the truth! I'll make something up to keep your precious trainees from breaking down!" She turned around and started stomping back to the trainees. "Don't you worry, I'll let the trainees suffer as long as possible!" She shouted angrily, but just soft enough so the trainees wouldn't hear.

_What?! _He couldn't really blame her for overreacting in this situation, but he needed everybody to stay focused. "Sergeant!" And when she didn't turn around. "SERGEANT KARGAGTHA!! Get back here!" For a moment everything went quiet in the courtyard, even the undead outside seemed to quiet down for a moment. Everybody looked at the two of them, but when the abominations crashed into the gate again most went back to what they had been doing. She finally turned around and reluctantly walked back to him, yet she kept looking at the ground. "They will get here." _Eventually. _"I have no doubt about that. It is just how long it'll take them that worries me. They WILL get here!" He grabbed her chin and forced her to look up at him. "Do you understand!? We just need to hold on as long as possible."

She straightened up, found some new strength within her, and said, "Alright." He let go of her and she walked back to the trainees determinedly. Satisfied that he wouldn't have any trouble with her anymore he went on to what he had been meaning to do before she interrupted him.

He found the wolf and patted her on the back as he inspected the new scars on her side where the ghoul had slashed her deeply. They didn't look good, but the healing and food had done wonders for the wolf's health. "You ready for some more, Sasha?" He asked. The wolf only growled in a satisfied manner. With a quick glance to the gate he saw it would hold for a while longer, the craftsmen had done an excellent job on it.

"Do you always shout that much at everybody?" A soft voice asked from his left.

He turned to look upon Xani. "Nah, only when they're being troublesome. Sometimes they just need be shaken awake a bit." He sat down on a bench near the wolf. Xani joined next to him. "I hear you did some good healing." She was still panting from the effort. Not to far away, Jonno sat on a bench himself, looking just as tired as she did.

"Thanks."

"I see you have a bow there. . ." He said, not quite knowing where he was going with the conversation.

"The undead will get in here." She said as if that were an explanation. She seemed all to eager to bring down a lot of hurt upon the undead. Something he hadn't expected of her, she had never seemed much of a fighter to him. Her experiences while captured by the centaur had changed something in her. Just how much, he couldn't quite figure out.

"Look. . ." He didn't want her to get hurt, yet he couldn't quite voice a reason or even make one up.

"I can fight! You told the commander yourself that we should get ourselves armed."

"Alright!" He wasn't in the mood for a battle of wills with her right now.

They fell silent. She was testing her bow, he was staring at the gate. Bit by bit the gate gave way, yet it was still not near collapse. From time to time some amongst those already standing ready to welcome the undead into the stronghold would look at him, as if asking him to come forth and be amongst them.

Xani was still testing the bow, by looking down an arrow she had readied on the bow, when Talgrun suddenly said, "You should go to your commander, the gate's about to fall." She looked up with a combination of surprise and fear on her face. After brief eye contact and a nod from Talgrun, she stood up and went to Kaylin. Trusting she would be as save as she could be under Kaylin's command, he turned to Sasha and whispered. "Alright. . . You ready again?" The wolf only growled as if satisfied.

He mounted and rode to the back of the waiting defenders. Cracks had formed in the gate and were quickly expanding with every time the abominations pounded into the gate. The defenders had seen him by now. "EVERYBODY READY?!" Most of the defenders fiercely replied in the affirmative. As he shouted again, almost all replied fiercely, psyching them up for the coming battle. "GOOD! When that gate comes down make 'em regret ever stepping in here!" shouts of agreement came from nearly all of them, even those that had no idea what he was saying. "Oh. . . And if you see a large winged demon with one horn missing. . . Leave him be! HE IS MINE!" Most again roared fiercely, while others laughed.

From the towers continued to rain down a storm of death in the form of bullets and arrows. Splinters came of the wooden parts of the gate. A lot of the orcs pounded their feet on the ground in a rhythmic fashion, something they sometimes did to psych themselves up for a battle. More and more joined them, until even humans and dwarves were taking part. If the gate had to come down, there wasn't a better time for it.

And it came down. With a sudden jerk, the gate's hinges cracked and the whole thing crashed down. Immediately, arrows shot with night-elven precision shot forth to rip through undead flesh. Their arrows, together with arrows and bullets of others, took down the abominations which had brought down the gate. The mage had prepared a massive frost spell and let it loose at the same moment the arrows shot forth. A wave of frosted air blasted forth, yet it didn't affect the defenders, it passed through them as if they were never there. To the undead, though, it meant freezing death for many of them. The first two rows that flooded through the ruined gate were instantly frozen where they stood, creating barricades for the undead behind them. The barricades didn't last long though, the undead behind smashed the frozen corpses aside and stormed towards the defenders.

With roars of battle the defenders greeted the undead as the undead crashed into the defenders. Yet, Talgrun doubted the defenders would still fight with such determination if they saw what he could see from his heightened position on top of his mount. Beyond the first row of undead he could only see another row of undead, and beyond that row another one, and another one. . . There was no end to them, as if they had given up on destroying the entire encampment and had set their sights on just the stronghold. Upon a second glance at the massive amount of undead, he wasn't to sure that wasn't true.

For the first time the doubt about whether they'd get out was replaced by something closer to despair. Yet he managed to banish it, for if all of them were coming to them, then Thrall and Jaina and their forces could attack the undead in the rear, if they had managed to deal with the undead attacking them. . .

But, while he was trying to hold everybody together, he saw something amongst the undead that made knowing whether they'd get out alive completely unimportant. Dethrox stood amongst the undead, gesturing for him to come to him. The dreadlord's continued arrogance enraged Talgrun. Dethrox and his doomguard escorts slowly waded through the undead.

The defenders in the mean time still held the undead of without to many losses. Already the undead piled up in front of the defenders. Their determination remained solid for a while, yet the undead kept throwing themselves at them without caring whether they'd be killed or not. The line, and their determination, remained solid, until the first abomination, the undead's equal of the Legion's doomguard, began bowling through the defenders. It's sheer mass and momentum carried it through several layers of defenders. It crushed many as it ploughed through them, all the while swinging it's axes and other means to inflict death around.

It was Kargagtha who finally brought the abomination's rampage to an end. She wielded two smaller axes, instead of the usual single larger one. She closed with the abomination, getting so close that it's superior range was no longer an advantage. Her axes sliced through the abomination's flesh with ease. Parts fell of the beast. One of the arms which had been stitched on by who ever had created the monstrosity, was now cut of and sailed through the air. It's throat was sliced, it's stomach opened up and an axe was embedded in it's shoulder when it finally went down.

The defenders roared triumphantly when it fell to the ground, but three more were incoming. One of them was stopped dead in it's tracks by a single swing from Kirrax's axe as it imbedded itself in the monstrosities head. The other two went down eventually as well, but had not been able to do as much damage as the first one.

From amongst the undead throngs, the few necromancers which had slipped past the sharpshooters in the towers cast their spells started reanimating the dead defenders for their cause and afflicting the living with other malicious spells. Dethrox was throwing a few spells here and there as well, but he didn't seem to be putting any real effort into it, and only tried to push through the undead masses.

Slowly but surely, the number of defenders was decreasing, while the uncertainty of their victory was slowly seeping back into them.

The undead pushed through the defenders, creating a breach at one point. Undead poured through to attack the defenders in the back. Spurring Sasha into a quick sprint, Talgrun was there quick enough. He crushed a ghouls skull on his left and then brought the mace around and caved in the chest of one on his right. With others coming to his aid, he managed to stop the undead from pushing through completely. Yet, he would not be able to go on like that for very long.

While he had already suffered a few shallow gashes, he was also growing tired of a long day of fighting. His right arm ached, for almost every time he had swung his mace with just his right. Even though it was enchanted to be lighter to the user than it really was, it was still heavier than the ordinary axe the grunts used. An axe normally wielded with two hands. But he could only use one hand, for he needed the other to keep a hold of Sasha, lest he fall of his mount. His, even for orcs, incredible strength and bulk allowed him to wield the weapon with just one hand for a short while, but it proved to be very straining indeed on the long run.

He grunted every time the mace went up or down from the strain of it. And even while he kept on swinging the mace around, he kept flinging orders at the defenders, who were getting increasingly exhausted and often lost sight of anything but the two next to them and the undead they were facing directly. All the while, death rained from the towers. The night-elves did a great job eliminating the more dangerous targets, necromancers, abominations and such, their arrows continuously aimed with deadly precision.

But then, before Talgrun could react, a clawed hand suddenly caught Talgrun in the chest. The claws dug into the armour, yet did not pierce it. His momentum was instantly reversed and increased manifold, sending him of his mount. He hit the ground hard, knocking the wind out of him, and rolled backwards before coming to rest on his stomach. Looking at his newest adversary wasn't necessary to know who it was, ghouls didn't have the strength to hit him such, while an abomination or doomguard didn't have the long thin claws this one had. It could only be Dethrox.

An ornate metal boot with demonic inscriptions upon it impacting his stomach only solidified his suspicions. The heavy boot lifted his heavy body up somewhat before he came down again. A second time it struck, but he didn't let it strike a third time. Thinking quickly, and fighting the pounding pain in his chest and stomach, he found he had clung onto his mace while falling and rolling. Before the boot struck a third time, Talgrun swung the mace low and scoped the dreadlord's feet from under him. While the dreadlord fell to the ground, Talgrun wasted no time in getting to his feet and putting some distance between himself and the dreadlord.

As he attempted to regain his breath, he noticed the doomguard had remained inseparable from the dreadlord, yet they didn't do anything to either aid the dreadlord or attack. Talgrun also noticed that the undead had discovered a different opening in the defender's line, and were now pouring through it. Meanwhile he couldn't find Sasha anywhere, the wolf having disappeared amongst the defenders and undead.

A wave of the undead charged towards the long orc separated from the rest in the middle of the courtyard, Talgrun. Readying his mace quickly, and now capable of using with both hands, he pushed the first skeleton away. After pushing the skeleton away, he, with a downward arc, completely crushed the skull of another skeleton. Blood and gore splattered from between the bits of skull. And then with an upwards swing, he hit another ghoul against the jaw, flipping it's head back so hard it's neck broke with an audible snap.

But when he readied the mace for the next one, he found the rest of the undead had stopped not ten feet away from him. They remained were they were, the malicious lust to tear him to pieces remaining. As the surprise of it set in, he saw the rest of the defenders were scattering, trying to get to other positions which were better defendable now that their defensive line had fallen. Some ran for the towers, while other, amongst whom were the night-elves, retreated inside the stronghold.

Dethrox had gotten to his feet and pushed through the undead surrounding Talgrun. The two doomguard were, as always, right behind the dreadlord. "They may not be the brightest, but they follow orders very well." Dethrox was keeping the undead at bay with merely a gesture of his hand. "They will not bother us." And with another gesture, the undead instantly turned to pursue different targets. "We left something unfinished." All the while the dreadlord's voice remained stuck up, irritating Talgrun once more.

While his chest still hurt, Talgrun stood up straight, raising himself just slightly taller than the dreadlord, while the normal orcish male stoop would have put him slightly lower than Dethrox. He enjoyed being able to look down upon the arrogant dreadlord, who did not seemed to be enjoying it at all. "And I intend to finish it!" Talgrun shouted back at the dreadlord defiantly. The demon would not be lured into attacking so easily though.

Dethrox started to slowly circle around Talgrun, speaking all the while. "You are one of the few to have given me a real fight." The dreadlord feigned attacks several times, testing how Talgrun reacted, but Talgrun made sure to not fall into a pattern which the dreadlord could use. "So far you are the only one to have lived. And you are by far the most troublesome." The dreadlord indicated the other defenders, who, although they now all retreated to the towers or inside the stronghold, were still resisting heavily, as if their heavy resistance was a result of Talgrun's actions.

"Is that so?" _Stall him! The more time spend talking, the more time the rest of the Horde has to come here. _He held on to that one last bit of hope.

"It will be even more interesting now, though. For last time, I sensed not a single bit of magic about you. Yet, now. . . I sense something old, something powerful." Talgrun couldn't help but touch the pocket where he kept the crystal now, the object the dreadlord spoke about. "I will enjoy ripping it from your carcass and inspecting it once I have destroyed you!"

"I don't intend to be destroyed so easily!" Talgrun roared back defiantly. Doubt whether he could keep up with stalling the dreadlord entered him. More and more the anger grew within him. His only wish was to charge forth and rip this demon to shreds, preferably with his hands. A single picture kept flashing through his mind, increasing his anger and rage further each time. A picture of his best friend, Nielak, Impaled upon Dethrox's claws.

"Truly?"

"I intend to find out what it is myself, after _I_ have destroyed _You_!"

"Really?"

"Really!" Now Talgrun stepped forth and swung his mace, only to have the dreadlord sidestep. They continued their dance of circling, attacking, feigning and sidestepping for several minutes. Once, Talgrun made the mistake of being distracted slightly when he saw Xani racing through a corridor, which ran alongside the courtyard, alongside her fellow elves. Fortunately Dethrox either didn't notice, or thought it was a trap.

As his patience ran out, Talgrun took a chance. As Dethrox stepped forth, Talgrun guessed the dreadlord was bluffing once again and swung his mace. His guess had been right, yet his reach was short by inches had he been aiming for Dethrox's limbs or torso. He didn't hit anything solid, but hit something possibly far more important, Dethrox's claws. The claws on both hands were shattered, leaving only short stubs where there used to be long and sharp claws. Dethrox immediately stepped back twice, yet didn't let his guard down.

Somewhat more confident now that one of Dethrox's greatest weapons had been destroyed, Talgrun made a mistake in forgetting other means to fight with. He was completely taken by surprise when a dark bolt of energy impacted his chest. The blast, while most had been absorbed by his armour, send him flying a short distance into the nearest wall, and caused him to lose grip of his mace. He hit his head, fell down and collapsed. His consciousness faded. Through blurry eyes, he saw Dethrox stepping closer. All his strength felt as if it was drained away by the blow to his head. He tried to get up, but couldn't. His chest felt as if it were melting from the inside from the spell, while his limbs felt weak and shaky.

Dethrox dragged the mace Talgrun had dropped. "Fine craftsmanship. . ." Dethrox remarked as he strained to hold up the heavy mace. "To bad I don't have any use for it. . ." He threw the mace away a short distance. "I don't require such crude tools." With one hand he caressed the broken stubs on the other hand. "I have something far better." His right hand shot forth. A continuous stream of dark energy erupted from the hand. The stream connected with Talgrun.

An overwhelming feeling of dread filled him as Dethrox's magic spread through him. No amount of willpower he could bring up at the moment could break the spell. Yet at the same time, his will to even want to break the spell faded. Not even Xani's worried shout from his left could rouse him to attempt to break free.

Dethrox's voice filled his mind, sounding eerily rational as the dreadlord spoke. "We are not so different, you and _I_." Talgrun saw visions of mass slaughter performed by the dreadlord or those under the demon's command, visions Dethrox showed him. "You are not to different. . ." He saw himself, early during the second war between orcs and humans, raiding a village together with a raiding party, slaughtering the inhabitants, pillaging their supplies, killing their livestock, getting pleasure from it all. _No! That was long ago! _Talgrun managed to protest. _That was a different live!_

"Is it?" Dethrox asked. Again he saw himself, during the same raid. Yet now he was entering one of the houses. Inside he found a young 15 year old boy, protecting a younger brother and two sisters with a rusty and dented sword. Moments before Talgrun had slain the boy's father on the doorstep to the house, at least what he had thought to be the boy's father. The boy trembled in fear of the massive orc towering over him, yet defiantly retained his grip on the sword. Without a moments hesitation, Talgrun brought his axe down and lopped of the boy's right hand. With a scream of pain the boy dropped the sword, fell down on his knees and then managed to shout something at his siblings. The other children ran away, but wouldn't get far. One Talgrun slew with a swing to the child's torso, cutting it in half. Another he grabbed by the neck with his left hand and then rammed the child into the nearest wall, sickening cracks sounding as bones broke and veins burst. The last he simply stepped on with a heavy boot, not quite killing the girl. Two more kicks to ribs and the head finished it though. He then went back to the older boy. The boy had crawled away, still holding his bleeding arm. The boy cursed and shouted at him, but Talgrun could only feel exhilarated. With a menacing smile he took extra long to finish the boy of.

"See? How are you different from me? For I don't see the difference." Talgrun couldn't think of anything to reply. A shock passed through Talgrun's body as Dethrox showed every single thing Talgrun had sworn to never do again. "Just give up your struggle, for why would you continue it?" More visions passed as Dethrox's similar deeds were compared with Talgrun's. Yet, just when Talgrun was about to finally give in, a picture passing before his eyes made him reconsider. The picture was of Nielak impaled upon the dreadlord's claws. The curse he spoke at that moment was one he had only heard once before, and had never spoken himself, for it was to horrendous, even for an enemy in battle.

Instantaneously, a rage exploded within Talgrun as never before, providing him with any willpower he needed to drive the spell away. The dark beam between Talgrun and Dethrox dissipated. Through his red hazed vision, Talgrun saw the expression of disbelief and surprise upon Dethrox's visage as Talgrun got to his feet. Only once did Talgrun breath deeply as he stood across from Dethrox before he charged.

Pounding the ground as he stormed towards the dreadlord, he raised right fist and roared in anger as never before. Still the dreadlord was in disbelief of what he was seeing, having never expected the spell to be broken. One hit was all it took to floor the dreadlord, one hit of a strength rarely witnessed before in the Horde, if ever. Something broke in Dethrox's jaw as Talgrun's fist connected with the dreadlord's head.

Hate

He hated the dreadlord beyond any hate he had ever felt before. Not only for slaying Nielak, but also for every other acts the dreadlord had ever committed, for the memory of those monstrous acts remained within Talgrun. His ability to reason went to zero. He would not give this true demon a single bit of respite.

As the dreadlord fell, Talgrun pounced and started beating with every bit of strength he possessed. Rage still fuelled him. He felt no pain from being flung into a wall just moments before. None of the injuries he had already sustained slowed him down. His heavy gloved fists impacted every inch of Dethrox's upper body. his roar sounding every time. No amount of ornate armour could have stopped the unending onslaught, but something else could.

Another bolt of dark magic impacted his chest. The blast lifted him of the dreadlord and when he came down again, caused him grind over the rough ground of the courtyard. Yet this did not deter his rage and strength, he got immediately again and charged towards the dreadlord, not noticing a sword lying nearby, which he could have used, his eyes fixed upon the dreadlord and only the dreadlord. But now Dethrox was prepared. Dethrox to had gotten to his feet. Dethrox caught Talgrun's left hand as it shot towards the demon.

What happened next would only be a blur in Talgrun's memory, for the gut wrenching pain had drowned out almost everything else. In a single move, before Talgrun could have adjusted to his arm being held by the Dethrox, the dreadlord had pushed Talgrun's left arm impossibly far back, tearing muscles in the shoulder. He then proceeded to twisting the stretched arm behind Talgrun's back, dislocating the shoulder, and then twisted the arm, causing bones to crack several times.

The pain was overwhelming, and any other time it might have been completely overwhelming. But the rage and determination to make Dethrox's suffer were even more powerful. If anything, the pain added even more to the rage.

With his right, Talgrun smashed the dreadlord's right arm so hard Dethrox's lower arm broke, forcing the dreadlord to let go. He followed it up by ramming his right fist into the lower part of the dreadlord's chest three times, cracking ribs. But the pain finally began to eat away at the rage fuelling his strength. The rage ebbed away, and with it, his strength to keep hitting. He finally had to step back several feet to try to catch his breath.

For the first time the red haze lifted and he noticed several opportunities which might have ended the fight much quicker, swords and other weaponry lying around. Both were now injured in a way that normally warrant an express ride to nearest healer, yet Talgrun wouldn't quite give up. _Just need to catch my breath. _He noticed the two doomguard still had not moved to assist the dreadlord. They were now some distance away.

An opportunity presented itself to him. As he looked around, he saw the corpse of a human still holding a sword in one hand lying not six feet away from him. Resisting the pain shooting through his entire left arm, he got to the human and pried the sword from the human's hand. As he turned back to Dethrox, who was struggling as much as Talgrun to control his breathing, a voice shouted above the sounds of battle.

"They're comin' They're comin'!!" One of the remaining dwarves in the towers shouted at the top of his lungs. The dwarf pointed towards something away from the stronghold. "Warlord Firetusk and his riders are comin'! Looks like they have reinforcements as well!!"

Even though it would still take the warlord some time to reach them, roars and shouts of triumph erupted from within the stronghold as those now stuck inside the stronghold had heard it as well. With renewed determination, the defenders pushed through the undead throngs and filtered out of the stronghold and into the courtyard. Under the leadership of several officers and others, the defenders banded together inside the courtyard and fought the reduced number of undead. Less and less undead had poured inside the stronghold, until the number of those coming was lower than the number dying. Unfortunately for Talgrun, the defenders were banding together at the other side of the courtyard.

Nevertheless, Talgrun felt just as triumphant. "Looks like you have a problem. . ." Talgrun said smugly to the dreadlord, who seemed not one bit to pleased.

These undead may, but I don't. . ." Dethrox said, despite the broken jaw. Almost immediately, orbs of magic appeared in the dreadlord's hands. The dreadlord put more distance between him and Talgrun by stepping away. "Another time, we will finish this, if there is one. . ."

_Teleportation! _Talgrun realised. _He is going to get away!_ He would never be able to bridge the distance between them with his injuries. But then he remembered the sword he was holding. He flipped it over in his right, so he held the tip of it, and aimed for the dreadlord. The dreadlord smiled arrogantly, even when the sword came soaring towards him. To Talgrun's dismay the dreadlord vanished in a green flash just an instant before the sword would have ripped through Dethrox's skull.

_Damn it damn it DAMN IT! _He cursed himself for not acting quicker. Yet, as he was cursing himself with any orcish word to do so with, he noticed how the doomguard and undead were seemingly aware of him again. _And I just threw my weapon away! Nice. . . _He cursed himself in all three languages he was fluent in while he looked around for a new weapon. And he found it. While over two dozen undead, and the two doomguards, were closing in, he hobbled over to the sword lying beside the nearest wall, resisting the pain in his arm all the way.

Rescue came in the form of arrows and bullets raining down from the nearest tower and the night-elves. Most of the undead turned around toward the elves, while one of the doomguards took two bullets to the head, cracking the thick skull and splattering it's insides. Those in the tower also redirected their fire somewhere else. _Only_ six undead and one doomguard remained. That was still far to many for a lone, albeit very large, injured orc to handle. His entire left arm was completely useless and every time it moved even the slightest bit, a pain he had rarely felt before shot through his body.

_Can't give up now! The warlord's coming!_ He told himself. Ducking underneath the flaming sword of the remaining doomguard, he at the same time sliced the gut of a ghoul jumping towards him. The ghoul fell to the ground, anything fluid the ghoul had left inside it coming out through the gut wound. He sidestepped the flaming sword a second time, trying not to pay attention to the pain, and decapitated a skeleton coming towards him with a broken sword raised high.

After dodging the flaming sword a third time, he stepped in close to the doomguard, for his reach with the short sword was far inferior to the doomguard's reach with the long flaming sword, and jabbed his sword upward at the doomguard's head. The sword sliced straight through the jaw and upward into the brain and then exited through the top of the doomguard's skull, in between the horns. Just to make sure the doomguard would not be a threat any longer, Talgrun twisted the sword around, causing it to becoming stuck in the process, something he had not planned for.

Again without a weapon and still injured, he found he still had four undead to contend with. Fortunately there weren't any undead coming to reinforce those attacking him, for the number of undead in the courtyard was now steadily declining, and only a few still came through the ruined gate. That did not do anything about the fact he still had three ghouls and one skeleton coming for him. As the dead doomguard collapsed to the ground, the skeleton slashed with the sword it was carrying. It only grazed Talgrun's chest armour, the armour being to thick and strong for the skeleton to cut through.

One of the ghouls rammed into him from the right and started clawing at every inch of his torso with it's claws. As he grabbed the ghoul by the skull and started trying to crack it with sheer force, another ghoul jumped unto his left shoulder. The ghoul on his shoulder hooked the claws on it's feet into edges of his back and chest armour, pushing the claws through to pierce flesh, while it's _hands_ grabbed a hold of Talgrun's head and neck. He felt the last ghoul trying to slash through the armour on his back several times, but being unsuccessful.

Just as he managed to splatter the one ghoul's skull with his right hand, the skeleton struck again. The skeleton's sword found the exact point where Talgrun's upper leg armour met the knee armour, and shoved the sword through, into the flesh below, where it became stuck. The pain added to that of his shoulder, nearly overcoming him, but he still wouldn't give up quite yet.

He brought his right elbow around and smashed it into the skeleton's head, causing the jaw to dislocate and the neck to break. The skeleton collapsed and let go of the sword. Only then did he fully realise that there was a sword stuck in his right leg. His leg would no longer support him, he fell down backwards. Incidentally, he fell on top of the ghoul trying to claw it's way through his back armour, crushing it utterly beneath his several hundred pounds of orc and armour. As he hit the ground, the ghoul on his shoulder rolled of, while tearing his left shoulder armour of with it.

He knew the last ghoul was still 'alive'. Yet he could not move such to try and see it. Just when he though his shoulder armour might have crushed the ghoul, it came out of nowhere and pounced upon Talgrun' chest. It's claws cut deep grooves on the armour, nicked his jaw several times and took a small piece out of his left pointed ear. In an attempt to get the ghoul of, he pushed it's head upward, but it's unnaturally long arms were to long. His strength had already faded so much that he knew he wouldn't be able to crush it's skull like he did with the other ghoul, nor could he throw the ghoul of, for it held on with it's long arms and claws. He only had one weapon left, and it was chancy to use it.

_No other way. It'll tear me to pieces! _With that last thought, he reached down to the sword embedded in his right leg and pulled it out. If the sword had been a plug, then his leg was now unplugged. Blood poured around every plate of armour as if it were being pushed out under pressure. Trying to not think of the pain and only thinking of getting that rotting ghoul of him, he brought the sword around and pushed it through the ghoul's chest. The ghoul instinctively let go of Talgrun's chest armour and tried to pry the sword from it's body, a painful wail escaping it's maw.

Seeing his chance, he lifted the ghoul of his chest and then brought the sword around as if wanting to put it into the ground, tip first, only with the ghoul still impaled upon it. The ghoul still lived, but it was now stuck to the ground. Twisting the sword several times finished it of though, leaving Talgrun free of any threats.

Any threats besides his now many wounds. His unusable shoulder and left arm, a gaping wound all the way through his right leg, and then the many smaller injuries on his back, chest, neck, head, arms and legs. Any strength he might have had left after lifting the ghoul of him was quickly fading away with the blood pouring out of him.

With his blood also went his consciousness, which was replaced by a sleepy feeling. He had been injured often enough to know he was not going to last much longer. Incapable of looking around to see how everybody else was doing. He could only look up at the sky.

The sky, which was still clouded with the unnatural swirling clouds. Yet, through his fading vision, he could see the clouds in the sky breaking up. The pulsating light in the centre faded. The green light vanished along with the clouds, and as the sun broke through the unnatural clouds, was replaced with sunlight. If he had been any other orc, this would have been considered an honourable death, but he wasn't finished with his life yet. He still had vengeance to exact. Utilizing the only thing he had left, willpower, he forced himself to remain awake, even going as far as squeezing his right leg to have the pain force him to stay awake.

He heard his name shouted, he couldn't tell from where, his sense of direction had vanished. It sounded incredibly far of, his mind not quite registering the sound right. Before he actually realised it, a familiar face filled his vision. It was Xani, bend over him with a worried look. And as she inspected all the wounds, the worried look only increased. "Talgrun? Can you hear me?" He blinked and looked at her directly, causing her face to lighten up somewhat.

"Ah. . . Xani. . ." He muttered, not quite conscious, not quite unconscious. "You. . . Don't look rested enough. . . To be doing. . . Any healing. . ." In truth she wasn't in any condition to heal. She hadn't even fully recuperated from her ordeal with the centaur, and had done a huge amount of healing earlier that day already.

"I'm fine." She just said.

Another figure appeared in his vision. It took him some time, but he recognised the figure to be Jonno. "Can you handle it?" He asked her. "There are more wounded. . ." he mused afterwards. He looked just as tired as she, but just as she, he didn't bear any significant injuries.

Xani looked around for a second, at the other injured, and then said, "I can handle it."

Jonno didn't waste any time and was gone before Talgrun even knew it. Xani went to work quickly and removed the leg plating of his right leg. A soothing sensation spread through his leg and at the same time he started feeling a little better. Looking down at his right leg, he saw an immense scar had been added. As the soothing feeling continued, he began feeling more awake, more in control of his thoughts. Xani moved around his body to his left arm and shoulder to inspect the broken bones.

She gently touched and prodded to get an idea of how badly and how many times the bones had been broken. To his right he saw a shape appearing. Turning his head to the right, he saw Sasha lying down next to him. The wolf looked battered, but was at least capable of moving around, something Talgrun still couldn't say of himself. Sasha would recuperate, even without help of any healing.

Pain shot through his entire body. A pain so intense he couldn't even scream in pain. He opened his mouth, but no sound would come forth. Looking to his left, he saw it was Xani attempting to heal the arm. With a combination of keeping the bones in place herself by means of physical force and magic the bones were being healed, it just hurt more than actually receiving the injury. But the pain ended. It ended when the bones were all back in place and the torn muscles healed. The pain had gone, and became aware of other injuries. Minor injuries compared to those already healed.

Xani was panting from the effort. Still she wanted to move on to injuries on his jaw and neck, but he gently stopped her by taking hold of one of her arms. "You've taxed yourself to much, and I'll live for now." He whispered. His body was still incredibly weak, but he spoke truth.

"But. . ." She started to object, trying to force herself loose from his hands so she could continue her healing.

"Just help me up." She finally gave in and helped him up. He rolled over on his stomach and then stood up, supported by both Xani and Sasha. After steadying himself, he said, "See? I'll be fine."

Xani reached around his back and pulled something out. She showed what it was. It was the claw of a ghoul. It had been embedded in his flesh at least five inches deep. He looked down to where he had been lying on his back and saw the thoroughly crushed ghoul. With his gloves removed, he felt around on his back and felt where the claw had gone through. A small stream of blood seeped out of it. "Are you sure?"

"I have lived through worse."

"Yes, indeed you did." She said, turning the claw around in the palm of her hand.

"Really, I'll be fine for now. But, you should rest." Her legs were shaky, she really couldn't stay upright a lot longer. He helped her sit down and then said to Sasha, "You keep her company, okay?" The wolf only growled contently.

He then looked around to take account of the situation. There were only very few undead still inside the courtyard, he suspected there wouldn't be any left inside the stronghold itself. He could still hear the sounds of battle far away from the stronghold. Doing a rough headcount, he estimated about fifty out of the three hundred had survived, including almost all night-elves. Almost all were injured, but the remaining healers were already doing whatever they could to heal, which wasn't a lot. Most had been taxed beyond their abilities, just as Xani. Only the more experienced Jonno and the witchdoctor who had previously been in charge of healing still seemed capable of doing any healing.

Looking at the towers, he saw there was only one remaining which still had sharpshooters and archers in it, the others had been overrun by the undead. Outside the gate he saw wolfriders and tauren racing past. A small group of them entered through the gate. It was warlord Firetusk and several others, including Walken. The massive black tauren had survived being on the frontlines of the initial defence force.

Before going to the warlord, he retrieved various pieces of his armour which lay scattered across the courtyard. The leather bonds which kept his leg plate in place had been cut, as had those of his left shoulder armour. The mace he strapped to his back again, while he carried the loose plates of armour in his left hand.

He spoke comforting words to the shaken warriors sitting around the courtyard and went to one corner of the courtyard where Kargagtha was gathering those who were still alive and relatively uninjured. To his surprise he found Adonai to be there. The boy was shaken and had a great many bruises as if he had been thrown around a couple of times, but had no other significant injuries. Kirrax he saw also, the large orc having a large open wound on his right arm, but a piece of cloth had been tied around it to stop the bleeding. Kiramm he saw as well. The only trainee of the three who had been predicted to be able to go far he didn't see was Drakken. The hothead had gotten himself killed.

As the group noticed Talgrun, a soft cheering went up amongst them. With some moving of his arms he quieted them down again and then looked to Kargagtha. "Situation?" He asked as he rubbed his left shoulder, it was feeling stiff and soar. _That's gonna be soar in the morning. . . _Kargagtha looked surprised to see him on his feet, she had apparently seen him close to death not long before. He couldn't blame her for her susprise.

"Eighteen of the trainees have survived, while almost all the trainers lie dead." She didn't look to good herself, a deep cut along her side amongst the many smaller cuts and bruises. "So far, I have counted a total of fifty four having survived. But that number will go down, the healers are completely spend, we will need help if the most gravely injured are to survive."

Talgrun nodded and said, "I'll see what I can do. You just carry on." Kargagtha did so and distributed tasks of getting the injured together and bringing water around. Talgrun stepped towards warlord Firetusk.

Even the warlord was injured somewhat, although the warlord's heavy armour had stopped most of the blows from breaking skin. Firetusk saw him coming and knew who he was, they had formally met that morning while plans were being made, and had in fact immediately found they had things in common. The warlord dismounted and stepped towards Talgrun.

"Warlord. . . About time you got here. . ." Talgrun said, drawing looks from those who had ridden with the warlord that seemed to say he was mad for speaking to the warlord in such a manner. The warlord, however, smiled.

"Yeah, I was held up by some undead. . ."

"We are in desperate need of some rested healers." Talgrun said, getting to the point.

"So is the rest of the army, champion, so is the rest. A lot aren't capable of doing anything at least for a while. They're overworked, and I can't really blame them. But I'll send a messenger." Firetusk then turned around and shouted at one of the riders to go get several rested healers.

"How are things elsewhere?" Talgrun asked.

"Bad, but not as bad as here I think. . ." The warlord looked around as if to emphasise his point. About one third of the army we had here has been slain. It's a good thing our reinforcements arrived." The warlord quickly relayed how the battle had gone elsewhere. The undead had pushed almost everybody back to the other side of the encampment, where they had managed to hold them. "In fact. . ." The warlord mentioned. "The fact you holed up in here relieved the main force greatly, for a lot of the undead were distracted and came here." The warlord then told of how he and his riders had retreated into the Barrens after they had struck the back of the undead army.

"Then where did the reinforcements come from?" Talgrun demanded.

"The Warsong send their riders when the messenger had notified them of the danger. A total of eight thousand. Those, together with my riders, we were able to once again attack the undead from behind and force them to fight on two fronts. Now that their leadership is gone, they will all be destroyed soon enough. It might take a few days to root the last of them out, but we did it! We will have utterly destroyed an army several times larger than our own!"

The warlord seemed content with the result of the battle. Even though Talgrun wasn't, he couldn't blame the warlord for feeling such, they had after all held their ground against a behemoth of an army. Stepped closer to Talgrun and started looking at his injuries. The warlord's face contorted in pain and he grabbed his knee. "Warlord?"

"Just my knee. I stepped wrongly, should stop doing that." Talgrun had heard of the warlord's knee, how it hadn't properly healed after a bad injury, resulting in permanently weak knee. "I see you'll live, though, and I have got other places to be." Firetusk mounted again and rode away, taking most of his riders with him. Only Walken remained.

"I see you survived as well." Talgrun said to Walken. "Have you seen William or Björn?"

"I saw Björn. . ." Walken rumbled. "But that was after retreating the first time, I don't know where he is now." One might almost call it depressing, the way the tauren looked. Not only had he suffered several small injuries, but his mood was clearly dark and brooding, his voice having become toneless as well most of the time. For a while now, had the tauren been so, but it had worsened manifold now. The tauren looked around the courtyard and then asked, "Can I assist in some way?"

"Follow me." Talgrun said, thankful for Walken's willingness to aid. They went to Kargagtha, who was still passing out orders. "Kargagtha. . ." the budding officer turned to him.

"Can this one aid in some way?" Walken asked.

For a moment Kargagtha looked puzzled, but then said, "Of course!" And gave the tauren a task. Walken then went of to do as asked. Both orcs' eyes trailed the tauren for a few seconds while Walken went to work. Talgrun's gaze swept over the courtyard, finally resting upon Xani. _Stupid night-elf. . . _He said to himself, not really meaning it, as he watched the overworked elf trying to aid Jonno in healing several of the wounded. She was to tired to be of help, now she was just a burden to Jonno. "Champion?" Kargagtha carefully asked. His eyes flickered back to her. "Are you alright?" As if for the first time she noticed to numerous wounds which still bled.

"You continue your work, you're doing an adequate job. If everything goes as they should, then several healers should be arriving soon." The lower ranked warrior nodded. "I suspect you'll know what to do with them?" Again, she nodded.

"And you?" He only pointed to a small group sitting in one corner of the courtyard, a small group of night-elves. "Ah, yes."

He stepped towards the elves. There were three of them, all what remained of the night-elves besides Xani and Jonno. Kaylin and her two companions still clung on to their weapons. All three were fairly unscathed, Kaylin even entirely, although she did show the many blood splatters from having fought up close. Ten thousand years of experience could do that. "What happens now?" Kaylin asked.

"You could start with handing over the weapons. . . They won't do you any good now." Kaylin didn't take long to decide, for indeed what use had they for the weapons now. She walked to the nearest still intact table and dropped her weapon and improvised piece of armour on it. The other two followed suit. "Now, just stay here and rest. Don't go walking around the courtyard. I don't want someone who doesn't know I let you out to help, to get the wrong idea and start trouble."

"You can be sure of that." Kaylin mused.

Talgrun gathered the weapons and pieces of armour in his right hand and then walked over to a large pile of equipment, where he dropped what he was holding. Nearby he saw Adonai sitting on the ground, the body of a dead trainee by his feet. As he walked closer to the boy, he could see Adonai was doing his best not let emotions take over, succeeding only partly. With a grunt Talgrun sat down next to Adonai, the stiffness of his shoulder preventing him from sitting down smoothly. "How are you holding up?"

"I thought it'd be different. . ." Adonai said, voice cracked up. "The stories dad always told, everything the trainers told us." Adonai kept staring at the dead trainee. Talgrun realised it might have been a friend of Adonai. "About glorious combat! About being victorious! About. . . Well I don't feel that way now."

Talgrun patted the boy's shoulder, knowing what he was going to say would sound unfeeling. "What you need to do now, is stay busy. Keep your mind off of it. At least for now. I suspect the sergeant gave you a task?" Adonai only nodded. "Then go do as you've been told. You can think about deeper meanings later, but we are still not out of danger yet. There are still plenty of undead out there!" Almost fearfully Adonai looked up. "Get to work!" That was the last bit of encouragement the boy needed.

As the boy went of, Talgrun stood up with another grunt of discomfort. Looking across the courtyard again, he saw Xani had finally given up on her attempts to help with the healing. She dragged her tired body towards where the other night-elves were resting. As his eyes lingered on her, she looked up to him. Both smiled at each other, glad they were both still alive.

But would more of these battles follow?

More importantly, would they be able to win, survive, those battles?


	24. Chapter 22: Message

I know I'm not all that good at writing humor (I seem to do alright in real life, but it just doesn't convert that well into digital lettering). But then again, what follows is supposed to be funny for them (the characters). A reminder, the humor part is the first few paragraphs of the chapter, just so you don't mistake the wrong bits for _humor_ :)

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**Chapter 22: Message**

"REALLY?!" Jirina shouted, tears of laughter almost bursting from her eyes.

"So I roll over on my stomach and get up." Talgrun continued his story, with a twist. "She just reaches around me and pulls this thing out of my back and shows it to me. It's this claw, from one of those ghouls. It was stuck in, like this deep." He held his thumb and index finger apart to show just how deep. "And I look down to were I was lying and see this completely flat ghoul! Completely flat! I had been lying on top it for minutes and I never even noticed!" The tone with which he brought his story spurred the others to even more laughter.

It took some time for jirina, Adonai, warlord Firetusk and Kargagtha to calm down again. "That deep?!" Kargagtha asked. "I mean, I saw the hole in your back, and let me say there were more, but THAT deep?"

"What? Wanna see the scar?" He almost stood from his chair so he could lift his cloth shirt to show it.

"Ah that aint necessary!" Gralger said. "Besides, I'd doubt we'd even be able to recognise the scar, amongst the many others!" He pounded his mug of ale onto the table and laughed, drawing the others with him.

"So true!" Kargagtha exclaimed. "You know, he once attempted to tell me just how often he's been injured. . ." The others leaned towards her. "Only problem was he couldn't remember each one. He gave up at around. . . Thirty was it?" She turned to Talgrun.

"Fourty." He corrected. Their jovial mood continued to cause laughter after laughter.

"Alright, alright! Enough about Talgrun's unfortunate ability to attract injuries." Jirina said.

"Thank you!" Talgrun exclaimed.

"Now." She put her arm around Adonai. "How did my son do?"

It remained quiet for a moment, as they all thought back three days to do battle. It was late, perhaps even early the next day already. They sat within the cramped house of Jirina. Talgrun's armour had to be taken in for repairs, as had Gralger's and Kargagtha's, so the three of them wore simple clothing. Kargagtha was a bit the odd one amongst them, since didn't have any connection with the Warsong, in who's village they now were. But she had insisted she would come.

Talgrun looked at the young boy. "He did well enough."

"Ah, he did better than well enough!" Kargagtha corrected. "He did better than the average grunt!" Adonai's face lit up with pride.

"Oh, I guess that's good enough." The mother rubbed her son's shoulder. "But now this proud mother will have to tell her _young_ son to go to bed."

"What!?!" Adonai protested.

"Go on." Jirina spurred.

"The best warrior is a rested warrior!" Gralger said to help coax the boy to bed.

"Indeed." Talgrun backed, raising his own mug of ale and bringing it to his mouth. Reluctantly Adonai went away to join his sisters in the bedchamber.

"Now, shall we take this outside, to not disturb the budding warrior?" Jirina asked. They only nodded and took their chairs with them as they followed their hostess outside around to the back of the house. There they put their chairs down again and continued their conversation much quieter. It didn't take Talgrun much to imagine Jirina would now start asking the questions she'd rather not ask with Adonai around. As if they all felt that way, none took their drinks with them, they hadn't had that much to drink that evening anyway. "How did the battle go?" Jirina asked when they were all seated again. "I've heard some disturbing stories of even veteran warriors being shaken by what they had seen."

"I don't know which stories you heard, but I suspect they're true." Gralger said, Kargagtha and Talgrun nodding their agreement. "Things were ugly out there. And I only saw part of the battle myself. If you really want a detailed description of the horrors, ask Talgrun. He'll describe them to you with more horrifying details than you care to hear."

"I think I'll pass." She went on to asking how the battle went in general, battle progression and such. Kargagtha and Gralger attempted to give an accurate descriptions, but both had experienced the battle from entirely different perspectives, resulting in sometimes very dissimilar descriptions.

Talgrun in the mean time did not pay attention. His gaze was fixed upon some far object beyond the horizon. In his mind the many disturbing images Dethrox had shown him kept bouncing around. Also his own dark past had been dug up by the dreadlord and was once more troubling him. _Did I really leave all that behind? Or am I just fooling myself, by trying to change, while I haven't really? _His hand gently tapped pocket where he kept his crystal. After retrieving it from the chest within his home he had kept it with him at all times. While those old memories kept toying with his mind, he recalled how the first time had vowed to never commit anymore atrocities as he had before, was only shortly after he had found that peculiar crystal.

Talgrun pulled himself back to reality and noticed Kargagtha and Gralger were about done with their description. "Yesterday they removed the last ghoul from the encampment. today they were transporting all the corpses of the undead to the edge of the encampment so they may be burned." Gralger concluded.

Jirina nodded her understanding and then asked. "Now, how did Adonai _really_ do? You were after all stuck in a stone tomb surrounded by undead." She asked, more of Talgrun and Kargagtha this time.

"For what it was. . ." Talgrun started.

"A slaughter." Kargagtha interrupted bluntly.

"For what it was, he did as well as might be expected of someone who has never even seen a real battle up close. He was shaken afterwards, as were most once it set into them what had happened to them and those around them. . . I would have preferred to have had their first taste of battle to be something. . ."

"Easier?" Kargagtha offered.

"Less massive. This was overwhelming, even for a lot of the veterans. I would have wanted the trainees' first experience to be far smaller. Taking a group of trainees out together with several veterans to hunt down a few centaur's or something similar." The warlord nodded his agreement, as did Kargagtha.

"Then did--" Jirina started, but she was rudely interrupted by someone walking around the house to them. Indicated by his light armour and insignias, he was a messenger of the Warchief himself. The messenger quickly saluted when he recognised he was in high ranking company.

"Warlord Firetusk, Champion Talgrun and sergeant Kargagtha?" The messenger asked quickly.

The warlord stood up and answered in the affirmative. "What is it?" He demanded.

"At the Warsong stronghold I was told to find you here. All three of you are needed at the Barrens encampment."

"For what reason?" Gralger requested.

"I carry merely the message, not the _Warchief's _reason." The messenger said respectfully, but his meaning was clear. It was an order directly from the Warchief, one should not need a reason to obey the order in such a case.

"Very well." The messenger then inclined his head slightly in a bow, saluted once more and left. "It would seem we have to cut this short." Gralger said to Jirina.

"We can always continue another time." She turned to Kargagtha and told her. "Hope to see you again."

"Same here." Kargagtha replied.

"Take care. . ." Jirina told Talgrun and Gralger, and more specifically to Talgrun, "Try to not get to many more scars, eh?"

"Already got to many." He said, chuckling. He rubbed his left cheek, feeling the thick scar tissue there. They went back to the front of the house. There they found their mounts tied to the house. Talgrun and Gralger had their own, Kargagtha had to borrow one. Wasting no time they went on their way and raced through the quiet Warsong village, stopping only once at the edge to tell the guards they were leaving. On the plains of the Barrens they kept a fast pace.

Sasha had been taken care of by healers. She was still not in peak condition, but now that Talgrun wasn't wearing his full armour for a while, she didn't need to be. They rode silently, not wasting any time talking. They would have to cross the Barrens during the night and morning, for during the day, the sun would be searing and they'd have to slow down. These past two days, the temperatures had been, even for the hardy creatures that made up the Horde, incredibly high.

The sun had only just peeked over the horizon when they first saw the encampment. Only then did they slow down, it wouldn't be long now anyway. As the sky's crimson red colour began fading, Kargagtha rode closer to Talgrun and said, "I. . . I must apologise. . ."

"For what?!" Talgrun asked, surprised and suspicious.

"Back when the undead had us surrounded in the stronghold. . . I overreacted. I believed there was no way we'd get out of there." And softer she said, "I was truly afraid."

Not quite knowing how to deal with it, Talgrun looked past Kargagtha, to Gralger. "Hey! Don't look at me! I wasn't there!"

"Look, everybody gets shaken once in a while. Even veterans. Everybody was scared. . ."

"Yet you weren't!" Kargagtha countered.

"Do you have any idea in how many battles I have fought? One thing I learned from all those battles is to not show fear, least of all to the enemy. And more importantly, I learned how to not show it. And the fact that you overreacted. . . Well, you didn't pull anybody else with you into despair. And you more then made up for it during and after the battle. Alright?" Kargagtha nodded, seemingly feeling better about herself. "Good. Then let this be the last time we speak of this." Again, she nodded.

After halting briefly to tell the guards who they were, they went on to the stronghold. The many pathways in the encampment were being cleared of corpses. Carts rode to and fro, loaded with rotting bodies. Amongst all those remains of the carnage, the people had gotten back to their jobs. Weaponry was made, while others trained.

They quickly continued on towards the stronghold. There they handed the reins of their mounts over to those who would take care of them. A young orc, probably not even out of his teenage years approached them with the message they were to immediately go to main chambers of the stronghold.

When they had walked halfway through the corridors, a voice stopped them. "Eh, Talgrun!" Talgrun to look upon the dwarf Björn. "Ye're here as well eh? Ye headed to the main chambers?"

While Kargagtha looked a lot less pleased upon the sight of the dwarf, warlord Firetusk only looked puzzled, for he didn't understand the language. "We are." Talgrun confirmed. "How's William? Last time I saw him he was lying in a bed with an huge infected wound in his side." According to what he had been told, William had been injured even before the first time they retreated during the battle. He had lain unconscious for half a day with a sword in his side, while the undead ignored him. Incredibly enough he had awoken and had dragged himself towards the encampment, where he had once again fallen unconscious, and remained so, until now.

"William's all better now!" William said as he walked around the corner. "Ow. . ." He grabbed his side in pain. "Well, not quite, but a lot better anyway." He stepped to Talgrun gave him a pat to the shoulder, making Talgrun wince in pain. "And you? Not quite better either?"

"The shoulder. . ." But before he could elaborate. "I take it you need to be at the main chambers as well?" William just nodded.

"Who are they?" Firetusk asked as they once again walked through the corridors.

"Long story."

Upon entering the main chambers, the first thing Talgrun noticed was Walken being there as well, amongst the many others. The second was Warchief Thrall's voice calling out, "Ah! You have arrived. Sergeant Kargagtha, wait outside for the moment." Without hesitation, Kargagtha did so. "You may sit." Thrall pointed at the chairs still unoccupied. Those chairs stood around a large round table. Many high ranking officers, along with lesser officers, sat on the chairs. Talgrun came to sit next a human, who he knew to be general Trent. Very young for a general and possessing sharp features. General Trent had been in command of the Alliance half of the original main defence during the battle against the undead. The general only looked up at Talgrun with mild irritation, but also a hint of respect.

Many others were present as well. Thrall, Jaina, Cairne, and many of their high ranking officers. But the various lower ranking ones, Walken, Björn and William, seemed to be out of place. There was a mysterious stranger present as well. Talgrun judged him to be a human of average build, but he wore long brown coat with a cowl that obscured his face.

"Welcome all!" Jaina said as she stood up, surprisingly in perfect orcish. "Thanks to a temporary enchantment placed upon this room by our honoured visitor, we will all be able to understand each other." She halted for a moment as the officers muttered amongst themselves for a few seconds about the mysterious visitor. "You have all been gathered here so you all will be aware of the plans decided upon." She gestured at herself, thrall and Cairne for a moment to indicate it was the three of them who had come to said decision. She then sat down again.

Again the amassed officers started muttering, but stopped when Thrall stood up. "The decision has been made that we all move into Ashenvale forest. All of us! Every outpost and scout still out there in the Barrens as well." Now the officers started muttering more fiercely, even shouting their disagreement. "SILENCE!" They fell quiet. "Our scouts are reporting ever increasing numbers of undead and demons in the Barrens."

"As they have in Ashenvale!" One officer shouted.

"There are far less in Ashenvale!" Thrall countered. "This is not a matter that can be discussed! Our future lies in the north, so to the north we will go." Talgrun couldn't help himself, but let his eyes stray to the mysterious stranger, who was yet to say a single word. He couldn't help but wonder if it was his doing that they would all be moving to the north. "Each one of you will at the end of this day be doing one of two things. The first is ensuring the entirety of the Horde and Alliance population will head north unharmed from any undead or demonic threat. The second is joining me, Jaina and Cairne as we travel ahead to the north."

When that last sentence had left thrall's mouth, it was as if any restraint the officers might have had, had disappeared in an instant. They started shouting accusations of madness and being suicidal. Talgrun could only sit stupefied. There was no doubt left in his mind that this was the work of that stranger. But was it all for good, or for bad? He suspected the stranger had his own goals, which were somehow similar to those of Thrall, Jaina and Cairne. Again his eyes strayed to the stranger. Although he couldn't see the stranger's eyes, he would have sworn the man was looking at him.

It all left him wondering what the Warchief's reasons were for all this. And as long as this chaos continued, those reasons would not be given. He stood up, drew in as much air as he could and then roared, "QUIET!!" Sheer shock made those nearest to him stop arguing, while those farther of fell quiet as well. All their eyes went to him. "Let him at least explain himself!" Most nodded in agreement and turned to the Warchief. Talgrun sat down again.

"Thank you, champion." The Warchief then went back to speaking to the amassed officers. "There are many things I could tell you all that might be my reasons. But the simplest would be that I act in on the advice of him." He gestured towards the stranger. Mouths opened up again, in preparation to shout, but all restrained themselves. "It is the prophet who told me to take the Horde to these lands, before the horror that is the undead scourge and the Burning Legion would have destroyed our scattered people in Lordearon. Thanks to him we are still alive."

Jaina stood up, backing thrall up. "I to acted on the advice of the prophet when I guided the survivors of Lordearon to these distant lands."

"It is now on his advice that we will go to the north, where our destiny lies!" Even though most of the officers clearly still had their doubts, they remained quiet out of loyalty and respect to their leaders. "Now, we will first determine how will move all of the Horde and the Alliance to the north." And they did so. Thrall started by calling of the names of those who would be leading the massive convoy to the north. Warlord Blackflame, an aging orc of a very respectable reputation, would be in supreme command of the convoy while Thrall, Jaina and Cairne were away. Warlord Firetusk would be the one to lead the Warsong clan to the north and was appointed as the temporary leader of the clan. The other officers named were appointed the of command smaller divisions of the convoy which warlord Blackflame would not be able to manage on his own. In total it took over an hour to split all the tasks. _Poor Kargagtha is still waiting outside. _He couldn't help but think.

Talgrun was appointed no task in this, although he had expected to again be put in command of the trainees. None of those lower ranked, and a few of the highest, who had been present were given in any tasks in the convoy. It all led Talgrun to belief that he and those not given tasks on the convoy would be joining the Warchief and his companions on his trip ahead of the convoy.

He was proven right when those given tasks upon the convoy were told to leave. Those who remained, Talgrun, Walken, William, Björn, general Trent and others replaced their chairs for those closer to the Warchief, making for easier discussion.

Now it was Cairne who stood and spoke. "You who have remained, fall into one of two categories. The first group is made up of our most trusted advisors. The second those we trust the most as guardians." Talgrun now noticed that several of those who had remained were in fact honour guards. Also there were several tauren present besides Cairne and Walken. "Some of you may fall into both categories. Together we shall journey to the north so we may put our destiny into effect." The elderly tauren sat down again, allowing Jaina to stand and speak.

"In but a few hours we shall leave this encampment to travel ahead of the convoy. At least most of the way the prophet will join us."

"And can this prophet explain to us what this _destiny_ is? For he obviously knows what it is." General Trent interrupted. "I mean, why not tell us now, so we may prepare for it best we can."

Before Jaina could reply, the prophet had stood up and spoke, "I cannot tell you your destiny, for it is not set in stone. I only now that if you had all remained across the sea, your destiny would have been a dark one, as I know that if you remain here, it will end in painful death. Yet, if you shall travel to the north, I foresee at least a chance of survival." The prophet sat down again, as did Trent, who now had a puzzled look on his face.

The finer points of their travel were quickly discussed. "You may now leave and prepare." Thrall said. Talgrun shoved his chair back and stood up, but before he could walk away, "Except for you, champion. There are several more things I need to talk to you about."

As the rest left, Talgrun waited. Only he, Thrall, and the prophet remained. "What is it, Warchief?" He asked respectfully.

"In the prison of this stronghold remains a small group of night-elves. They will join us in our travel to the north. I can already read in your eyes that you are wondering why. . ." Indeed Talgrun had been wondering just that. "I don't know why exactly, again it is the advice of the prophet, but I suspect it will have to do with the many night-elves in Ashenvale and even more northerly. In the event that we may need to negotiate with them. We have no urge to fight the night-elves as well as the undead and demons. We know the night-elves fight the Legion just as much as we do. If we can at least make a peace treaty with them, that would at least free a lot of our forces up to fight the demons."

"And handing over the prisoners would be a sign of good will that we mean it. . ." Talgrun finished for the Warchief.

"Exactly! I shall place them under your care, for you speak the language, a very rare ability indeed."

"Won't we all be able to speak with each other as we did here?" Talgrun asked, more of the prophet than of thrall.

"I'm afraid it doesn't work like that." The prophet only said, not bothering to explain further.

"Alright. Was that all, Warchief?"

"No. . ." Thrall answered, letting his voice trail of. "There is also the group of trainees. They will need guidance and, considering the slow pace the convoy will likely set, will be able to train further. Yet, then a new officer would have to be appointed to lead them, since you won't be able to do that." Talgrun only nodded, waiting for Thrall to continue. "I was thinking of putting sergeant Kargagtha in that position. However, you know her capabilities better than I do. . ." He looked expectantly at Talgrun.

"Well, for whatever reason you belief her capable, I agree. Yet, there is one problem. Her rank would not exactly command a lot of respect of the other officers, if she were command them as well."

"That is what these are for. . ." He held out his closed hand, waiting for Talgrun stretch his own out. Talgrun did, after which Thrall let we he had been holding fall into Talgrun's hand. They were a set of officers insignias which would put her in a position to command her fellow officers. "From the reports I have gotten, I belief she has deserved these. "I trust Kargagtha's still out there, so you can immediately go to hand them over. I belief you'd be more suited to give them to her."

"Very well. . ." Talgrun only said. "Was that all than?"

"Yes." Thrall said.

But the prophet interfered, and judging by the look on Thrall's face, that was something the human only rarely, if ever, did. "No, not quite. I would speak with the champion for a moment. I would appreciate it if you'd leave us for a moment, Warchief." Thrall only inclined his head in a bow and left, shutting the door behind him.

"What is this about?" Talgrun demanded. He did not fully trust the man's intentions, even though Thrall, Jaina and Cairne did.

The human didn't immediately start speaking, but instead walked around Talgrun once as if inspecting him. "I noticed from the moment you entered this room that you are a warrior through and through. Yet, I also sensed something old and quite powerful, if I say so myself." This coming from someone who had been named 'The Prophet', in lack of a real name, who was obviously powerful himself. "An artefact I suspect, for I wouldn't expect an orc to have the talents to command or even just posses such forces, although there are always exceptions. Am I right? Is it some sort of object?" Talgrun only nodded, unsure of what else to do. "May I inspect this object?"

Since the human obviously already knew of it's existence, something Talgrun had long wanted to keep as secret as possible, and because the prophet obviously had a lot more knowledge on the subject of old artefacts, he couldn't think of a reason not to show his crystal. He took it out of a small bag, which had been hidden underneath his simple cloth shirt, and showed it. "I've had it for great number of years now." He added.

The human studied it seemingly in great detail, looking at it from all possible angles, but was careful not to touch it. "Have you done any research into it?" Finally requested to know.

"I haven't, but Jaina attempted to do so for a short while. She couldn't find anything, though."

"I suspected so. . . You will only find information about it in very old sources. In very old libraries you might be able to find a tome that has documented this object. _Very_ old libraries. I doubt you'd be able to find anything in any still standing libraries in the ravaged lands across the ocean. I belief ruined Dalaran or even the ravaged homeland of the high elves won't posses a tome documenting it, and certainly not now."

"I don't think there are any older sources. . ." Talgrun commented. He had of course heard of Dalaran, a small city state lead by wizards. It was were most of the mages had come from during the second war. The land of the elves he had heard only vague descriptions of, but they had told of an equally magic based land.

"Belief me, there are older sources. They're just not as known to the average person as well as others. I suggest you try to find what it is in due time, for it may be of great importance. If we can prevent the Burning Legion from usurping this world of course. I suggest you remember the name 'Zareth'."

Then, as if they had never spoken at all, the prophet turned around and walked to the door, opened it, and disappeared from sight, leaving a rather confused Talgrun. _I'll just have to write some of this down somewhere before I forget._ He then went to the door himself. On the other side he couldn't find neither the prophet nor thrall anywhere. He only saw Kargatha still patiently waiting.

She was sitting on bench arms crossed and head resting against the wall behind her as if she were asleep. As he stepped to her, he actually was confinced she had fallen asleep. Only when he had approached to within three feet did she notice him and tilt her head to him. When she saw it was him and not just one of the many servants walking around the corridors she instantly stood up and saluted, they were after all on duty now.

He merely gestured for her to stand easy and then said, "The Warchief has come up with the plan to head north with a small group, including myself, before the end of this day. While I am away, the trainees will still need to be guided. That task has fallen to you." He walked up to her, took her right hand and put the insignias in her hand. "I trust you to do your best, to prove you are worthy of these. Congratulations commander."

Her face portrayed a look of absolute surprise and disbelief. He waited for the information to settle with her. When it did, she again straightened up and saluted. "Thank you!" And then she settled down again, still showing signs of disbelief.

"Now, it would be best to gather all the trainees again, for training will need to continue, even if the conditions will be far from ideal." He continued to give her some points of advice and told her the entirety of the Horde and Alliance forces would be heading north as well.

"It will be done!" She hesitated for a moment, but then asked, "Why does the Warchief need you with him?"

"He intends to bring the night-elves along. My talents for their language will be needed." Kargagtha nodded understandingly. "Now, I belief you have work to do!"

After only a few moments of consideration, Kargagtha was of to perform her newest assignment. Talgrun remembered his own task of organising the 'prisoners' for the trip north. They weren't truly prisoners anymore, especially Xani and Jonno, whose healing abilities had saved the life of many a orc or human. They were more like honoured guests now. Guests confined to their prison, but still. But first he would go and gather his armour, for it should be repaired by now.

* * *

Her ordeal with the centaur had left her weakened greatly, near death even, but the excellent care of Jonno and the food brought to her had strengthened her greatly. Then the undead had come. Having overtaxed herself greatly through all the healing, she had, after the battle, almost fallen back into a severe fever. Thankfully she had recovered a great deal quicker this time around. 

In the days following the battle, Xani had spend her time drawing. It had proven to be an excellent way to process the horrific things she had seen and experienced. She drew from her memory figures of centaur, Chereesa and the other elves who had been killed. Figures of a prison in the Barrens, of undead monstrosities. While drawing the figures she felt much the same way she had felt when experiencing the events for the first time, but when she had finished, it felt as if she had closed of those horrible chapters of her life, had faced her nightmares.

She had filled many pages in those few days since the battle that way, and each time she had felt better. And each one she had kept, stored away in the pack which Talgrun had given her. She was drawing still when the door to the prison was unlocked and opened. Looking up from her work for a moment, she saw it was Talgrun. He was now fully armoured once more, while two days ago he had said in a short visit that the armour had to be repaired. Apparently it had been repaired.

Talgrun only briefly looked towards Xani, knowing this was not the time for feelings, whatever they might be. The large orc beckoned for Kaylin to come to him. Kaylin didn't hesitate for even a second. All five of the remaining night-elves trusted Talgrun fully, even Kaylin, who is generally not very trusting.

"What is it?" Kaylin asked.

"The Warchief has made the decision that he, along with others, will travel north, into Ashenvale. His _exact_ reasons are unclear to me, but he wishes that all of you travel along. If the opportunity arises, he would try to create a truce with the night-elven leaders. Your presence might be helpful. I am to go along with him on his. . . Mission." He paused for a moment and then asked, "Can I depend on you to not make any trouble on this trip?"

All eyes turned to Kaylin. Xani sincerely hoped Kaylin would agree, for would it not mean they might be returned to their people? Something Xani looked forward to, even though they hadn't been treated wrongly here. She just longed for some friendly, familiar faces. Looking around, she saw the others must be thinking, hoping, the same thing.

"The way I see it. . ." Kaylin started. "The arrival of the Burning Legion and these undead is a great threat indeed. A threat great enough that it might mean the end of this world. A truce between your Horde and us would in that case be. . . Beneficial. If us coming along would somehow increase the likelihood of such a truce, then I see no reason for any trouble at all."

"Thank you, commander." Talgrun said gratefully. "We will be leaving today." For a moment he turned to the door and called out to someone. A human wearing full body armour and a dwarf entered. Xani seemed to remember having seen at least the human, the dwarf she couldn't recall readily. Talgrun turned back to the night-elves. "They will take you to the courtyard, there you will find mounts waiting for you. The mounts have been trained such that they require minimal experience from your part, they'll just follow the rest."

Kaylin bowed slightly in thanks and then called to her fellow elves, "Well then, let's go." In the mean time Talgrun said something to the human and dwarf.

Xani suddenly found herself to be in a hurry. While the others were already following the human and dwarf out the door, she still needed to pack up her stuff. Unfortunately she couldn't just throw it all into the pack, that would damage it all, and she didn't want that to happen. She heard Talgrun again talking to human and dwarf. Upon looking up, she saw the two were escorting the other elves away. Only Talgrun remained, waiting patiently. _Must be in a big hurry! _She thought as she went back to packing her stuff.

She wasn't much for cursing, but she would have done so now if she were anybody else. Nervousness of being last made her drop the papers she had been holding at that moment. They went all over the floor. As she went to pick them up, she suddenly found a second pair of hands picking the papers up and putting them together. Talgrun had crouched next to her and was picking up papers along with her.

"Careful!" She warned, afraid that his large rough hands made for swinging all manner of heavy weapons would stain or tear the papers.

"I know." His thick fingers were surprisingly agile in picking up the papers. "Here. . ." He handed over a package of the papers. She took it and put in the bag. Not long after she had finished up. Yet, instead of standing up and racing to meet up with the rest, she stayed put, as did he. Both stared at some point that was not one another.

"So you'll be coming along with us then?" She finally asked after what had seemed like an eternity of silence.

"Yeah. . ." He answered, looking up from staring at the ground. "Somebody needs to translate, right?" He answered surprisingly weakly. His gaze was fixed upon something far behind Xani. She knew him well enough to know he was thinking deeply about either the past or the future. "Well, amongst other things. . ." He added, gaze momentarily flicking to her, and then back to far away again.

Again what seemed like an eternity followed. "Shouldn't we be heading to the. . ." she didn't finish, knowing that he knew what she meant.

"Yeah." He just said and stood up. She did the same and followed him to the courtyard where they found the others looking at her rather suspiciously. There was a group gathering of what she'd recognise as either being high ranking officers, their sometimes arrogant expressions and ornate armour betraying that fact, or what could be their bodyguards. It didn't take long for Talgrun to explain the basics about riding a wolf, for with these wolf the only thing she needed to know was how get on top one, which was deceptively easy.

Talgrun then parted from her proximity and went to a small group that had not two members of the same race; a human, a dwarf and a tauren, two of which she recognised.

Not long after, after several other important looking humans and orcs had arrived, they left. It was the first time she had been outside the stronghold since arriving there. Outside she found the remnants of the battle. Dead bodies were still strewn about everywhere, although large parts of the encampment had been cleared of corpses. And for the first time did she see just how large the encampment was.

As they headed north, she got a taste of what the undead had thrown at the defenders of this encampment. Just outside the encampment, she saw several massive piles of undead corpses. Looking around, she saw many more such piles at the edge of the encampment. She knew well enough the stories of the first invasion of the Burning Legion. How massive the demon armies were. _Combine them with these undead as well. . . _She thought. _Just how can we possibly stand against such a force?_

* * *

A/N : I am still in the mood for reading reviews. hint hint. :) 


	25. Chapter 23: Northward

We're slowing approaching the end of Warcraft III here.

**Chapter 23: Northward**

They had been riding north along with Thrall for several days now. Mounted upon wolves, horses and even a few kodos, they had covered a lot of ground. So far the group's travel to the north had gone unhindered. Only twice had a Horde scout passed by, both had nothing of interest to report. The first two days there had been a few problems between the small group of night-elves and several of the other troops, but those had been only minor and had already been resolved.

However, now Thrall had ordered a small break so the mounts could rest. During breaks such as these, Talgrun spend most his time joking with the human William, while the dwarf she had come to understand was named Björn and the tauren Walken were usually nearby as well. Xani had found that they were a friendly bunch, although all of them had two things in common. The first was they all had basically only each other left, most of their family, friends or loved ones being dead. The second being they were all experienced veterans. At first they, except Talgrun, had been fairly distrustful of the elves, but they had set that aside a lot faster than the others in Thrall's group.

Right now, though, Talgrun and Xani were at the edge of the temporary campsite. The campsite was one of the few fairly open areas in Ashenvale. Talgrun stood leaning against a young tree, causing the tree to bend sideways somewhat underneath the combined weight of his massive girth and armour. As always these days, Talgrun's wolf mount, Sasha, was close to Talgrun. Xani sat on top of a branch just above Talgrun, her minimal weight barely making the branch bend. Both Talgrun and Xani had been staring of into the beauty of Ashenvale forest.

"So, just imagine the war is over, we won. What would you do?" Xani asked softly after a while.

Talgrun remained quiet for a long time. "What would I do?" He muttered softly, asking himself more than her. As Xani looked down to him, she saw a certain look in his eyes which, she knew, betrayed the fact he was thinking deeply. He absently stroked the wolf which sat beside him. "What I would want to do. . . Is leave behind this life of a warrior. Start a new, peaceful, life. I would live somewhere in a small, out of the way, village." Before she could look away from him, he looked up to her. "You seem surprised. . ."

She was. She hadn't expected an orc with a past of almost continuous warfare to want to live such a peaceful existence. "I just find it had hard to imagine you without that armour and weapons, living the quiet life."

"I said, it was what I would want. But I doubt it will ever happen. I'll probably be stuck with this. . ." He knocked against the armour with his knuckles. ". . . life, until the day I die." He sighed heavily. After a few seconds of silence, he asked, "And you?"

She had thought of it often, and never had she found a satisfactory answer. He looked up again when she remained quiet for a while. "I don't know. . ." She muttered finally and looked down towards him, finding him to still be looking up, looking for an explanation. "I feel I have changed to much to truly go back to my previous life. And I don't know what I would do instead." He nodded his understanding.

As she looked down, she saw Talgrun had gone back to staring of into the forest. She knew him well enough to know that his mind was now wrapped in either the past or the future. Every now and then he would sigh. She was growing nervous. She had been meaning to ask him something, but every time there was a chance to ask it, nervousness took over and she ended up not asking.

_Oh, come on! It's just a question! _She told herself. Many times she had wished the nervousness would go away, but it didn't. Finally she managed to force herself to ask, while trying to keep herself from stuttering, "So. . . If we do find other night-elves. . . And me, Kaylin, Jonno and the others would be handed over to them. . . While I long to be with my own kind again. . . I am also somewhat reluctant." She looked down to see him looking up, curiosity evident in his expression. Talgrun was aware of how she could sometimes be very nervous, and thus waited patiently for her to continue, all the while encouraging her to continue. "Because, then. . . We will not be able to. . . Be together. . . Like this." He nodded his understanding of her meaning. "And I don't want that. . ."

From his expression she knew that, despite her awkward way of putting it, Talgrun knew exactly what she meant. One of his hands went up to comfortably pat the nearest bit of her body, her right boot. It made for an awkward picture, but felt comforting to Xani nonetheless. "If you and your companions do get back to the rest of your people, and a truce has been made. . . Don't you think it would be possible that the Horde, Alliance and the night-elves would work together against the Burning Legion? In that case, we might somehow extend our stay. . . Together."

She wondered why she hadn't thought of that. "_If_ we all work together."

"Then maybe we should make sure we do. I'm sure Warchief Thrall has already considered the possibility."

Xani chuckled lightly and then said, "How am _I_ supposed to make sure that happens. I know Kaylin respects my priestly gifts, but she would never listen to me for strategic advice. And Kaylin's the only one I know who might have even the slightest bit to say about such things amongst the higher ranked members of the night-elven military."

"I think the commander will recognise sound tactical advice when she sees it." Talgrun countered. "No matter who it comes from."

"SADDLE UP!" Someone within the temporary camp shouted. Even though it was in common, as Talgrun had once explained to her, Xani had heard it often enough to know what it meant. She jumped down from the branch, landed elegantly, and stepped towards the mounts where she mounted her assigned wolf, a brown/white one. Looking back, she saw Talgrun staring of into the forest for a while longer before he to mounted and joined the rest.

* * *

The pace they had set slowed somewhat two days later when they came upon a large clearing where there was supposed to have been a outpost where they would have restocked their supplies. Instead of a well fortified outpost with palisade walls, guard towers all around the perimeter and a contingent of over a two thousand warriors of both the Horde and the Alliance, there was now only ash. The ash was all that had remained of the carnage that played out in that clearing. The legion had waltzed over the outpost as if had been nothing and had then moved on.

Thrall had been furious upon seeing the burned down outpost, almost everybody else now truly saw the scope of the Legion's might. Amongst the ash they found little that was of use. One of the trolls managed tell from all the different signs amongst the scarred battlefield that the defending contingent had been completely surrounded, yet they still tried to make a stand. How the troll could tell, Talgrun didn't know, but the troll also informed them that the outpost's last stand had lasted for minutes only.

Following the discovery of the ravaged outpost, they slowed down, not wanting to attract any unnecessary attention through the noises they made by travelling quickly. The pauses they became longer. During these pauses, small groups were send out to investigate the surroundings, to make sure if they were maybe unknowingly following the tracks of an army of the Legion, or to perhaps find survivors, or anything else that might provide clues to the situation. Their had been protest against staying in one place for extended periods at a time, Talgrun and Kaylin amongst them, but Thrall had decided against it, believing that knowing the situation in Ashenvale was of importance and that they'd be able to outrun any demons upon their fast mounts. Talgrun would still have wanted to protest that their mounts would not do them much good if they were surrounded, but he had kept quiet out of loyalty to the Warchief and the fact that the other high ranking officers also kept quiet.

Despite the slower pace they still reached Dragonmaw outpost ahead of schedule, they had been travelling faster then expected the first part of the trip. The name of the outpost had nothing to do with the now defunct clan, rather the outpost was named after a cave that had become part of the outpost. Said cave had all kinds of rocky formations at it's entrance that made it look as though it was the maw of a dragon, _if _you had a fair amount of imagination. The outpost was build against high cliffs, into which the cave tunnelled. The cave had been found to have no other exists besides the one inside the outpost and therefore it had become home to a large portion of the population of Dragonmaw outpost. A population which mainly consisted of warriors and workers, as well as a few spell casters. The outpost was in fact fairly large, the largest outpost in Ashenvale as well the most northerly outpost. Thus it was also the last outpost before they would head into unknown territory.

The night-elves had been given quarters in a building adjacent to the Dragonmaw stronghold, while almost everybody was given quarters within the stronghold itself. The elves given the freedom to walk around the outpost as long as they stayed within the vicinity of the stronghold, they were not allowed to leave the outpost. The travelling group would spend two days at the outpost to restock their supplies and rest. Two days the officers spend planning the days after they'd leave the outpost behind. Already the wyvern rider who resided at the outpost had been send out to report the group's progress to the larger convoy behind.

* * *

"Well. . . I you're headed further to the north, we have got maps we made which can guide you well for the first day, but beyond that, we can't help you." The Dragonmaw outpost commander said. The commander was a young, rather laidback, human. They were inside the stronghold's main room, and there weren't enough seats for everybody around the large table in the centre of the room. As a result, Talgrun was standing besides one of the walls, along with others. "Besides that I can offer a few of my men to accompany you on your mission."

"What about enemy numbers?" Thrall requested. Besides Thrall sat the 'Prophet', as always, although the mysterious human had not put another spell upon the room to make everybody understand each other. "What do you know about their positions?"

"We, in fact, know a great deal about enemy numbers." The commander stood up and took a large map and hung it upon the wall behind where the commander had been sitting. He presented the map as though presenting a delicious meal. Most of those present were not amused though. "Even though we have had barely any direct contact with the enemy here, we know that there are in fact a great many. We are _here_." with a long stick the commander pointed towards a location on the map that lay on the right side of the map, and practically halfway between top and bottom. "Above _this _line is roughly what the night-elves hold at this time, although they are losing ground. Below is what the demons have." The commander drew a horizontal line on the map.

"Wait a minute!" General Trent interrupted. "According to that, we are now within night-elven territory."

"Indeed we are, and always have been. Ashenvale does belong to them, you know. _We_ invaded." Both the information and the disrespectful way the commander put it made the gathered officers mutter amongst themselves, especially Trent seemed to be unhappy about _how_ the commander had made his reply. "Now, so far, both the elves and the demons have almost completely left us alone. Only the demons have attacked a few times, but they haven't been able to do any real damage. We've spotted a few night-elven scouts at the perimeter of the outpost, so they know we're, but they haven't made a move against us yet." Talgrun had seen a few remaining corpses outside the Dragonmaw outpost perimeter, but they had looked to have been more like scouts or a small raiding party, not a real attack force.

"The reason for this. . ." the commander continued. "Is because we are where we are. The demons are not attacking us because we are behind the lines of the night-elves, and the night-elves haven't attacked because this ridge protects us from the _bulk _of their forces." Again the commander's stick went from side to side across the map, just above the outpost this time. One might call the ridge a series of awkwardly shaped mountains, except that they were on their widest point only a mile wide, while remaining fairly high with steep cliffs on both sides, almost a wall. The ridge stretched for many miles to the east and to the west. "It wouldn't be prudent for them to move forces over the ridge because: One, it takes a lot of time and knowledge of a good path across the ridge. Two, if they do go over it, they would either end up within the outpost, and we do have guards patrolling inside the outpost, or end up somewhere were they could come if they would just go around the ridge. And three, my favourite, we haven't bothered them, besides being here of course." Talgrun was sure the night-elves would think differently about the last statement, since they were awfully protective of their forests. And judging by the size of the outpost, a lot of trees had probably bit the dust to build the outpost.

"Then how do _we _get to the north?" jaina asked. "Those are awfully steep cliffs, and the night-elves will be patrolling the area where you can go around the ridge."

"The last is absolutely true, the first not entirely." The commander explained. "We have mapped the ridge in great detail from _here_ to _here_." The commander's stick pointed at locations a few miles to the east and west of the outpost. "While doing that we have found that there is a fairly easy to traverse path across the ridge _here_." The commander pointed at an area just a few hundred feet from the outpost. "Even someone without experience at climbing mountains can easily traverse the path, _if_ they know where they are going, for it is like a maze of promising looking paths. Even the wolves and horses could easily make it across."

"What about the kodo's?" Thrall asked upon request of Cairne. Three of the tauren which had gone with Thrall rode kodos because the wolves or horses simply couldn't bare the weight of those tauren. Cairne himself and Walken were two of the three.

The commander looked slightly at a loss at that questions and could only answer with, "We never tested _that_. There are very few tauren here, and even fewer kodo's."

"And beyond the ridge? What can you tell us about the night-elven presence on our route?" Thrall asked.

"Well, where do you need to go?" The commander asked in return. The gathered officers muttered amongst themselves, not really knowing where they were going, until the mysterious 'prophet' stood up and walked towards the map. Everybody became eerily quiet as the human took the stick from the commander and used it to point to an area just north of the map, the map did not show where they needed to go. "Well, I can tell you there is fairly little in between here and there. Or, at least I can say that of the areas actually depicted upon the map. As you can see, the map is far from complete." The commander spoke truth. Many areas remained blank. The further from the outpost, the more blanks. But from what was depicted on the map, it seemed a treacherous area, with many cliffs, pits and rivers crossing their path.

"Than perhaps we can get a guide." Talgrun proposed without warning. Surprised, everybody looked to him, looking for explanation. "We do have a group of elves with us. . ." Talgrun reminded them. "Perhaps one of them knows the area."

"Why would they even _want_ to help us?!" General Trent protested, standing up as he spoke. "Now that I think about it, why don't we go straight to the night-elves leaders _there. . ._"Trent pointed at the passage to the west of the ridge where there would inevitably be a sizeable night-elven force. _". . ._And get the truce over with, and then go to this place where we are supposed to follow you to."

Talgrun would have said something, but the prophet was ahead of him. "NO! It needs to be done this way." Yet, again the prophet didn't elaborate on what _it_ was.

But now Trent wasn't dropping it so easily. The general had been trying to find out what it was they were supposed to be doing all the way to the Dragonmaw outpost. "And what is it!? I want a straight answer! Not silence! Not, 'you don't need to know'! A straight answer!"

"General! Calm yourself!" Jaina intervened. "All will be clear once we--"

"Yeah yeah." With a heavy sigh the general sat back down, finally backing down.

Within minutes the power of the Warchief's orders had summoned the elves to the chamber. Talgrun explained to them what they needed to know, and also translated the night-elves' answers. Two of the night-elves claimed to know the area. Talgrun wasn't to surprised to see commander Kaylin being one of them. After ten thousand years he figured anybody would probably have seen a lot of the world. Kaylin did look suspiciously towards Talgrun for a moment, as if she knew there was a shorter path towards a truce now, and thus true freedom her and her companions, instead of going past the night-elven forces. But she didn't say anything.

The Warchief thanked the night-elves and then send them away again. Just as he send most of the other officers away, only a few stayed behind to further work out the path they would take through the mountains.

Indeed Kaylin had seen the faster route towards delivering herself and her fellow elves at the doorstep of the night-elves, for when they were back in the hallways she asked Talgrun, "And why aren't we going straight to the rest of my people? I thought both your Horde and Alliance wanted a truce with the night-elves? Doesn't look like it from what I was seeing." She was clearly unhappy about it. "The only reason I didn't start asking your _Warchief_ about it was because I trusted you, but I am starting to think that trust may have been misplaced."

Talgrun sighed heavily and then told her about how the 'prophet' had warned against it. He was then also forced to explain what he knew of the mysterious human, which wasn't much. When he was finished, Kaylin was clearly still unhappy and suspicious about it. "Look, I don't know why the Warchief keeps following this 'prophet', and I'm not happy about it either."

"Fine. Just don't expect any more favours from me. We will guide you through that part of the forest, but there had better be night-elves with whom you people can make a truce where we are going. . ." The threat was clear. 'Get that truce done, or expect trouble'. He didn't how five night-elves without weapons could make a lot of trouble, but he had seen and heard enough of Kaylin's capabilities to know she could find a way.

* * *

The next day it seemed as if everybody in the outpost was in a hurry, as they always were probably. Xani wasn't though. The trip through the forest of Ashenvale had done her well. To her it had felt almost like times before. Except of course for the orcs, humans and such travelling with. And the fear that death might be lurking behind every tree. Nonetheless it had revitalised her. Right now she was even more at ease though. Only just finishing up a drawing of the destroyed outpost they had passed. Having finished the drawing, the memory of the destroyed outpost was just that, a memory.

She carefully put the drawing into the bag, along with what she had used to make the drawing. Settling into the chair after putting it all away, she looked out across the outpost. The chair was positioned on a wide balcony. The balcony was part of the building in which the elves were temporarily housed.

To her left, on the other side of the doorway that led to the balcony, someone was startled from his sleep. She looked to see Talgrun looking around him as if dazed. Droplets of sweat poured of his forehead. "Another nightmare?" She asked, only receiving a nod as an answer. "Dethrox?" Again a nod. Talgrun had told her of his new batch of nightmares, which had started after the battle in the Barrens had been over. In it he relived many of the memories Dethrox had implanted in his head in an attempt to break him.

Further to Talgrun's left, there was some commotion. Walken, William and Björn had claimed that part of the balcony. They were looking out across the outpost while, what seemed to be, playing some sort of strange game that involved pointing at all sorts of things in the outpost. They seemed to be having a lot of fun with it, though. How Talgrun had managed to fall asleep with those three next to him, she couldn't fathom.

"Why did he do all that to you?" Xani asked after Talgrun wiped the sweat away.

"He has his own reasons for wanting vengeance."

"What did you do to him then? I only remember you told me, he. . ." She stopped her sentence, seeing the pained look in Talgrun's eyes.

"Something about his demotion. Let's just say he holds a grudge."

His eyes switched to a stare. "They're just dreams. . ." She said, in an attempt to keep him from wasting away in memories, his of someone else's. "They're not real."

"That's the problem. They are real. Or were. They are _his_ memories of the previous _exploits_ of the Legion." They remained quiet, watching the three to the left of Talgrun continuously pointing to something on the cliffs. After a while Talgrun grinned and said, "I think I'm improving, though. The first time he would have killed me if he had bothered to check if I were dead or not. Last time was a draw, we were both so injured neither of us could probably have finished the other of. Maybe next time I'll kill him. I definitely like _that_ idea."

For a moment Xani was slightly fearful of the large orc, he seemed truly eager to fight the dreadlord once more. But the moment passed soon enough when Talgrun started asking about what she had been drawing.

* * *

That evening, just before they would be leaving Dragonmaw outpost. Talgrun approached Thrall upon his mount. "Warchief, may I speak with you before we leave?" He asked respectfully. Without words, Thrall lead them away from the gathering warriors.

"Of course you may speak, champion." The Warchief replied. "Why else did I bring you along as part of my advisors?"

He hadn't realized Thrall saw him as an advisor. He had thought of himself more as being one of the bodyguards. But he dropped the subject from his thoughts. "Have you ever considered that we could have more than just a truce with the night-elves? Like an alliance?"

"I have. But most of those I speak to about it seem to reject the idea. They are worried about the fact that we have had our own skirmishes with night-elves. It might already be a lot to ask for a truce." Thrall replied.

"I seem to remember two large wars between orcs and humans. Or is that just my imagination? There is plenty of bad blood between the Horde and Alliance, but we nonetheless have an alliance now."

"This is an extraordinary situation and--"

Talgrun cut the Warchief of, something anybody rarely did. "It's an equally extraordinary situation for them."

"Look. I'm personally in favour of the idea of an alliance, as all the others are. It's just that the night-elves might not be. That's the big problem. So, until we can figure out what the night-elven leadership thinks of the idea, the idea of an alliance will remain that, an idea."

Talgrun realized there was no more he could do. It was up the night-elves themselves to determine an alliance to be possible.

"Warchief Thrall!" A voice called. From the shadows stepped the prophet. "I will be leaving you now. I have things to attend to. But we will meet again when your journey is over."

"What? Where are you going?" Thrall said, displeasure clear in his voice.

"I must prepare some things. Do not worry, though. I foresee you will reach your goal without trouble."

* * *

And indeed they reached their goal without trouble. After the prophet had left, the group now lead by several guides left the outpost. The path they took through the mountains was indeed easy to pass, if you knew where you were going. Even the kodo's managed to get across. After the ridge, the guides went back again to the outpost and the rest moved on. With a combination of a makeshift map and Kaylin as a guide, they quickly made their way to their goal, despite increasingly hilly terrain.

* * *

"We've arrived." Kaylin announced.

"Are you sure? It looks like any other part of the forest. . ." Talgrun commented. When only a sharp nod came from her, he turned to Thrall and said, "She says we've arrived."

Thrall bent over the map together with several others. "She might just be right."

"But it looks exactly like any other part of the forest! How can you, or her, tell so exactly?" Somebody else voiced, exactly what Talgrun would have said.

"It should be here. We just need to look around a bit to find it." And with those words, Thrall lead the way.

And indeed, not long after, they found what they were looking for. It was quite a beautiful place. A grove with small streams of water crisscrossing around the edges, the water coming from small waterfalls in the cliffs which bordered the grove on one side. Flowers of all sorts blooming everywhere. The descending sun, which was fast approaching the horizon, cast an almost perfectly serene light across the grove.

But the one reason they didn't immediately go on ahead into the grove was a pair of tall night-elves standing in the middle, one male with strange stag-like horns and clad in fairly simple looking brown robes, one female with perfectly silver hair and ornate armour. Instead of going into the grove, they lay down amongst the bushes at the edge of the grove.

"What is this?" One officer whispered. "Did that prophet say anything about this?"

"He said we shouldn't worry about anything we might find. . ." Jaina whispered a response.

As the others went on bickering, Talgrun looked to his right, to Xani, who lay plastered to the ground beside him. On her face, he saw she recognised the pair of night-elves. "You know them?" He asked her.

She nodded and then pointed to the female night-elf. "Tyrande Whisperwind, high priestess of my priestly order and mostly seen as leader of all night-elves." She pointed to the male. "Malfurion Stormrage, most powerful druid in existence."


	26. Chapter 24: Messengers

What follows should be very familiar to those who have played Warcraft 3 :)

* * *

**Chapter 24: Messengers**

After Talgrun had related what Xani had told him about who those two night-elves in the grove were, Thrall announced, "Alright, Cairne, you stay here with the others. Jaina and I will go out and present ourselves." He received only nods of agreement. Jaina followed Thrall out into the serene grove.

* * *

"We have no time this Furion, what are we doing out here?" Tyrande said to her beloved Malfurion Stormrage, there were far more pressing matters than chasing down hunches. She'd rather be out in Ashenvale to battle the Legion, but she had come with Malfurion out of her love and respect for him. 

"Last night in a dream, a great raven spoke to me and summoned me to this place." Malfurion explained. There was little more time to explain, for two really shouldn't be there walked up them. Nor was there really anything else to explain, but the great had felt old and wise enough to Malfurion for it's advice to be followed.

"We were summoned here as well." The orc mentioned as he and female human walked up to the pair of night-elves. Strangely, it was in perfect night-elven.

"Who are you, outlanders?" Malfurion asked suspiciously, ignoring warning glances from Tyrande, she'd clearly rather put arrows in them instead of speaking with them.

"I am Thrall, son of Duratan, Warchief of the Horde." Thrall explained.

"And I am Jaina Proudmoore, leader of the human survivors of Lordearon." Jaina added, almost as if she had rehearsed it before.

"_You _are not welcome here!" Tyrande growled angrily to the pair.

Suddenly, a great raven came out of no where, flew overhead and then halted in the air not far from the arguing leaders. Then, the raven descended to the ground where it transformed quickly into a robed human. "Peace priestess. They have come to aid you against the Legion." The human said.

"It was _you_ in my dream. But who are you to make such an offer to us?" Malfurion asked suspiciously.

"I am the reason for the Legion's return. . ." the human said, shocking the gathered leaders. "Years ago I brought the orcs into this world, and by doing so, I opened a path for the demons as well. For my sins, I was murdered by those who I cared for most. Despite my death, war raged for many long years across the lands of the east, leaving entire kingdoms devastated in it's wake. Now, at long last I have returned to set things right. I am Medivh, the last Guardian. And I tell you now. The only chance for this world, is for you to unite in arms against the enemies of all who life!"

* * *

"This is madness!" General Trent whispered angrily. "As far as those night-elves are concerned, we're still at war, no matter what _our_ intentions might be!" 

"Shut up, Trent!" Talgrun whispered back annoyed, causing most to glance at him and causing the general to beam angry glares to him. "They know what they're doing. We should have a little bit of patience. . ."

"Right! Like that. . . What is the word? Orcling. Like that orcling of a Warchief knows what he's doing!" for the remark, the general received many angry glances, including from Cairne. Who hadn't understood the common words, but understood their content well enough from the tone.

Perhaps it was the fact they hadn't slept all day, or the continuous stress of the Legion or the undead possibly being around every tree, but Trent and Talgrun almost attacked one another. They would have if not far the considerable distance between them, they were lying down behind the bushes, and the fact William intervened. "Cut it out you two!" William whispered harshly, acting far above his rank. "See? They're alright."

They looked into the grove and saw William was right. Another person had added himself to the four leaders, the prophet. Talgrun grinned, happy that he was right and Trent was wrong. To the side, he saw Trent seemed to also be relieved, while at the same time perhaps a little bit disappointed.

Talgrun focused upon the leaders within the grove again. The discussion they were having dragged on. Already they seemed to have settled down somewhat. In the beginning it had seemed a fight might have erupted, especially that Tyrande had seemed ready to do so. After a while Thrall signalled to them to come out of hiding.

When they approached, it became clear the prophet had again worked some magic to let everybody understand each other. "We are already aware of the convoy heading up into Ashenvale." Talgrun heard Tyrande mention to Jaina. "Did you think we wouldn't detect something that size within the heart of our lands?"

"Plan, Warchief?" Cairne asked upon approaching Thrall.

"There is. . . The beginnings of one at least." Thrall explained that the concept of an alliance had been accepted. "The Legion invaded this world before, to attain a magnificent source of power at the centre of this world." Thall said, giving them the short version of the history lesson. "The night-elves resisted them successfully back then, but the world was shattered, the source of power destroyed. But not all of the power was destroyed. Some of it remains in and underneath the 'World Tree', which is not to far from here. It is the World Tree that is the Legion's goal. Archimonde, The Legion's leader, will try to usurp it's power. If he succeeds, we will have no chance left to defeat the Legion."

"So the plan is to defend the World Tree?" General Trent asked, and when he received a nod for an answer, he shouted with sarcasm dripping from the words, "Fantastic plan!"

"Trent!" Jaina warned sharply. The general quickly eased down somewhat. "The plan is not finished. Defending the World Tree will buy us time to find a way to defeat the Legion."

"But to do so we will need our forces up here. . ." Cairne mentioned, turning his massive head to tyrande and Malfurion. "All of them."

"Indeed." Malfurion said agreeing.

"Your forces are guarding the quickest way here." Cairne simply said.

"Then we will need a messenger to tell those forces of the new alliance and to let the Horde and humans pass." Tyrande said. Only now did she seem to recognise the five other night-elves standing amongst them. "Who are you?"

Kaylin stepped forward and said with military precision, "Commander Kaylin. We are what remains of the forces you send to drive back the Horde forces which had established a settlement within Ashenvale. We were eventually taken captive be these and I understand are now to be returned to our people."

"Five only?!" Tyrande said, looking at the orcs present as if they alone had been responsible for the deaths of over forty-thousand.

"They are not the soul reason for there being so few of us. We were also ambushed by demons and centaur several times." Kaylin quickly said, deflating Tyrande's newfound anger somewhat.

"Alright. Any volunteers amongst you to deliver the message to those forces protecting the way in here?" Unsurprisingly, all five answered in the affirmative. Tyrande nodded satisfied, but then said, "Commander, I will need you to explain to me exactly what happened to those forces. You cannot go." The high priestess than let her eyes pass over the other four. Her eyes came to rest upon Xani and Jonno. "You." She stepped to them. Both bowed in reference to her. "You two are priests, are you not?" They only nodded, inclining their heads in a bow again. Gently, she made them look up again with her hands placed under their chins. "You both volunteer?" again nods. "One of the temple will always be listened to, even amongst the military." And after a moments consideration. "Your name?" Tyrande asked of Xani.

"Xani Songwind, high priestess."

"You will go."

Xani bowed deeply, only to look up again when Malfurion approached her. "Take these. It'll make it official, no commander will be able to deny you authority with these." He handed her what to Talgrun seemed to be an official looking set of insignias. To Xani it was an incredible honour to wear the signs of Malfurion Stormrage and Tyrande Whisperwind. Malfurion then asked her whether she already had a mount to ride to the night-elven forces. Xani only nodded respectfully.

"Then we will need a messenger as well." Thrall said. "To relay the message to the convoy that they need to go here, instead of the previously agreed upon destination."

"Perhaps the two should travel together." Malfurion suggested. "That way our messenger's presence will prevent yours from being mistakenly attacked by our forces who have not received the message that there is now an alliance. And the other way around would count as well."

"In that case, we have the perfect candidate." Thrall mentioned as he walked to Talgrun. "Do you volunteer?"

"I guess I do. . ."

"And what makes him 'the perfect candidate'?" Tyrande asked quickly.

"He speaks night-elven. . ."Thrall said.

"Fluently." Talgrun added in night-elven, not that they would notice with the spell Medivh had put upon the grove.

"Do you now?" Malfurion said surprised. The Archdruid looked eager to hear more of it, but then composed himself again. "Well, I suspect we'll hear more of that later." And to Xani he said. "If you head out that way, you'll come upon clearly marked path. Follow that path to the south and you'll eventually reach where you need to go."

"Do you think you can deliver the message from there?" Thrall asked Talgrun.

Talgrun nodded. "I'll head to Dragonmaw outpost. Their wyvern rider can deliver the message much faster than I can." Thrall nodded his agreement and then spurred them on to do as they were told.

Without hesitation they ran back to their mounts and prepared them for another trip. "We'll have to ride through the night." Xani commented as she looked to the sky. "The sun has already almost completely descended."

Talgrun only nodded. He whispered some comforting words to the wolf, Sasha, and then mounted. "What are the chances?" Talgrun asked as he watched Xani trying to mount her own wolf.

"Of this? Fifty percent." And upon a questioning look from Talgrun she explained, "It was logical for her to choose between the two priests. And you speaking my language made you the logical choice for your Warchief."

"I did not mean that. I meant everything leading up to this. I think the chance of all that happening like that would be quite a bit lower than fifty percent. . ."

Xani smiled and said, "Almost like someone's guiding us." When she was seated upon the wolf, she put the insignias on the fabric of her now torn leather armour.

"I don't even want to think of things like that, not now at least. Maybe in a few years, if I have those years." He then spurred Sasha into a run. Xani followed quickly. Over the past few days she had been forced to learn to ride a wolf adequately. She still couldn't perform the manoeuvres that Talgrun could, but she could ride swifter than most orcs, her low weight only barely slowing the wolf down.

* * *

They spoke little during their newest trip, the continuous swaying of the wolves making any speech hard. The path was easily found and they followed it in a south-westerly direction. Evening made way for night, but they paid no attention to nightly beauty of this part of the forest. By the time night began making way for morning all four of them were already exhausted, the riders and the wolves. 

Good thing then that it was only a few more hours until the sun had risen to the highest point in the sky, which when they reached where they needed to be. They almost rode past them without noticing them, but Xani's keen eyesight and knowledge of night-elven stealth tactics allowed her to notice them at the last possible moment. She ground to a quick halt, followed not long after by Talgrun when he noticed she wasn't riding beside him anymore.

Those in hiding came out in the open, bows lifted, arrows readied. "Explain yourself!" The lead elf ordered, but when the elf noticed the one remaining symbol that denoted Xani as being a priestess, the now tattered white cloak she wore, she quickly lowered her bow and ordered the others to do the same. "I apologise priestess, but it IS hard to recognise you as such." The elf quickly lowered her head in a slight bow. The rest followed suit. "Now, I must request your intentions. And perhaps more importantly, why this _brute_ is with you. . ."

Surprisingly, Xani managed to keep herself from stuttering out of nervousness. In fact, she was surprised to find herself completely free of it. Perhaps it was the insignias she wore and the blessing of the high priestess that had made her more confident of herself. "I bear an urgent message to the forces guarding the passage into this region from the high priestess, Tyrande Whisperwind! I must see your commanding officer immediately, captain!"

"Of course, the high priestess's will must be fulfilled" The captain said, now also having noticed the insignias. "But why is _this one _with you?" The captain pointed at Talgrun.

"He bears a message also, to his people."

"Since when do messengers of opposing factions travel together?" The captain asked suspiciously.

Before Xani could answer, Talgrun did. "Since the message is: that the night-elves and orcs and humans are now united in arms against the Burning Legion. You just don't know it yet."

The captain looked to Xani, seemingly at a loss of what to belief, and very surprised that an orc would speak night-elven. "It is true. Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage have convened with the leaders of the orcs and humans. An alliance has been made."

"On your word, priestess, I will trust you. I shall escort you to my commanding officer at the nearest encampment. She will then be able to spread the message. But I suggest you keep an eye on _that_! You cannot trust the orcs! They killed Cenarius!"

"I know what they are responsible for, and I also know the misunderstandings."

"Misunderstandings?" The captain asked confused.

"Later. First, bring me to your commanding officer."

Immediately the captain did as she was asked, guiding them through the last bit of forest before reaching the night-elven base. The rest of the elves were to stay where they were, to continue their assignment. From behind a set of bushes came a giant night sabre to call of it's master, the captain. Talgrun had of course seen the giant sabres before, but he thought he would have noticed one hiding behind the bushes.

The captain rode up front with Xani beside her as the honoured visitor, and Talgrun behind as the far less honoured visitor. Only a brief stop at the edge of the base, the guards were also unhappy about letting Talgrun in the base, delayed the moment that they would see the commanding officer of the base. From what Talgrun could see of the base, which wasn't a lot since even buildings and such seemed to blend in with the surrounding nature, it was quite large. It would probably house several thousands, and considering the width of the passage these elves had to defend, there were probably more spread across the passage.

They had to wait a short while before being able to speak with the commanding officer, who was it seemed busy laying out a new strategy to her subordinates.

Upon finishing up, the commander turned to them. "What is the meaning of this?!" The commanding officer demanded to know upon seeing Talgrun. "Why is this orc here?!"

"They request an audience, commander. They bear an important message!" The captain quickly said, gesturing more to Xani then to Talgrun.

The commander gestured for them to come closer, and when she noticed the official insignias upon Xani, immediately said, "Apologies, an official messenger from Tyrande and Malfurion will of course be listened to!" This commander seemed far less impressed with Xani's priestly status than the captain had been.

Xani's newfound confidence continued to hold. She explained what had been agreed upon by the leaders of various factions. Every now and then the commander's eyes would flicker to Talgrun as if checking whether he hadn't snuck of, she was even less trusty of Talgrun than the captain was.

"Very well, we will let the Horde and their allies pass if they don't bother us." The commander said when Xani had finished her story. "But before you move on to _his,__people_. . . I ask you, how long has it been since you last saw rest? You look like you could fall apart at any moment."

Xani realised she indeed was exhausted and was in fact not feeling very well, a result of the continuous swaying of the wolf she had been riding, she wasn't used to experiencing such swaying for a whole day. Even the wolves were incredibly exhausted. But there was another message to deliver. "It has been well over a day of continuous riding. But we can't stop here, we still need to deliver the final message."

"Then by my authority I will keep you here for at least a few hours. It is no use to go out in the state that you are in now. It will only serve to make you easy prey for the Legion. They have become increasingly interested in the area to the east of here, which I belief is where you need to go. I will have accommodations made ready for. . . The both of you." She obviously strained to say the last part. "Also I insist that you get yourself a replacement for that armour. . . What you wear you will be of no effective use to you." She seemed to judge something about Xani's physique for a moment and then said, "Judging by your height, I belief we may have something that fits you." And to the captain she said, "You will first guide them to the armoury where she may receive replacement armour, and then you will guide them to accommodations on the eastern side of the base. Understood?!"

The captain saluted and then without words guided them to the armoury. The armoury was one of the few stone buildings in the entire base. Most were made of a blending of trees and magic. "The armoury also doubles as a prison." The captain stated, looking meaningfully in Talgrun's direction. Xani vanished inside the armoury, while Talgrun remained outside, under observation of the captain.

Talgrun seated himself on the ground underneath the fairly low hanging canopy of a tree, keeping himself out of sight best he could. The captain remained standing near the armoury's entrance as if she were one of the two guards who remained at the armoury's entrance at all times. The captain's eyes would flicker endlessly between the armoury's entrance and Talgrun.

"So you speak the language?" The captain finally asked after several minutes had passed. Talgrun only nodded slowly, his mind slowly being overcome by an irresistible sleepy feeling. "How did you learn?"

He had no intention of telling her the truth, and thus only answered with, "Self-taught." The captain visibly didn't like the answer, but didn't press the subject.

* * *

On a far away world, a demonic commander raged through the landscape with his doomguard. The indigenous people ran as they saw him and his doomguard approaching over the hills. With disdain he looked down upon the village which lay in the valley below. These worthless creatures had proven invaluable to the legion, not worth the effort of assimilating into the Legion's ranks, and hardly worthy as practise for the Legion's might. They were a smart folk with fairly advanced technology as far as mortals went, but physically they were pathetic. The Legion had no use for brainy warriors, they needed strong ones that would not think to much about their tasks. As he ordered his doomguard down to the village, some of the inhabitants took up improvised weapons to defend their kin from the coming onslaught. They were utterly crushed by the savagery of the demonic warriors. The commander himself descended upon the village, flinging a spell here and there, but mostly just enjoying the sights of the chaos his warriors had wrought. 

His spells tore the creatures apart, sending body parts flying in various directions, smearing entrails across the ground. The doomguard toyed with the creatures, cutting of limbs one at a time while not letting it be fatal, using their own few abilities to wreak havoc amongst the few who had taken up arms against the invaders.

With one hand the commander held up one creature by the head. With his other hand he grabbed it's feet, and then pulled. As the thin spine was pulled apart and the head came loose--

* * *

-- Talgrun awoke with a start to the soft touch of Xani upon his arms. Behind her he saw the captain standing, looking at him suspiciously. Xani didn't say anything, but her eyes spoke of more worry than any words could. Good thing the captain was standing behind Xani, or else she might have gotten even more suspicious. 

He quickly saw the new armour Xani had gotten. It was obviously new and still reeked such. The armour was almost completely dark. Black and dark blue the dominating colours, only the new white cloak denoting her priestly status contrasted with the darkness of the rest. At her hip dangled a new short sheathed sword.

"Come on! I haven't got all day!" The captain urged. "Let's get moving!" She said when Talgrun was standing again, and immediately turned eastward and started walking.

Now with the captain in front, Xani dared to ask, "Dethrox again?" Talgrun only nodded and wiped the sweat which had accumulated on his forehead during his little nap.

The accommodations they were brought to were surprisingly luxurious for a military base. If anything, they seemed to be destined for use by highly honoured visitors of the highest ranks. Despite that it was still small. The outside was just like any other structure within the base, but inside there had evidently gone some effort into decorating the room. Perhaps they often received officials at this base. There were two beds with sheets and pillows inside with small tables at the feet ends of the beds and also two chairs. The various small windows allowed a lot of light into the building.

"When must I wake you?" The captain asked of Xani when they had briefly inspected the insides.

"We should leave as soon as possible. In a few hours would be best, we can't risk staying to long, even if that is against the wishes of your commander." The captain bowed and left. Talgrun tested the strength of the bed he had claimed as his own by sitting on it. It creaked heavily underneath his weight, a weight far greater than the bed was ever intended for, but didn't break. Xani did the same with her own and found the bed wouldn't give the slightest squeak. "I hope this time Dethrox doesn't haunt your dreams. . ."

"False hope. I know he will." She would have said more to counter his pessimism, but the exhaustion and temptation of the bed were to great. After only taking of her new boots and sword and putting them underneath the bed, she slipped underneath the blankets and dug her head into the pillow to keep the light from her eyes.

The two wolves had faithfully followed them around the base and were now curled up just outside the building. They had fallen asleep a lot faster than their riders.

Talgrun had to take of a lot more armour to be able to lie remotely comfortably, so within minutes the two table inside the room were covered with shoulder and chest armour. The hammer was positioned against one wall. Boots were shoved underneath the bed, along with gloves. The bed again creaked heavily when he lay down upon it and pulled the blanket over him, it barely covered his enormous body. "By the way, the new armour looks well on you. . ." He muttered before digging his own head into the pillow.

She briefly looked up from her pillow to say, "Thanks. . . It blends in well with shadows." And then she dug her head back into the pillow. She barely heard what Talgrun said next. Something about the white cloak not blending in that well with the shadows, but she had already fallen asleep, total exhaustion and having taken over.

* * *

Because of an indefinable feeling she awoke. She kept her eyes closed, trying to sleep on, but couldn't. Despite her sleepiness the feeling kept her awake. Finally she gave up trying to fall asleep and opened her eyes. Her head was no longer buried into the pillow, she turned over onto her back while asleep. It was dark inside the room, but her excellent night vision allowed her to see without trouble. 

And with that vision she saw a huge shape which could only be Talgrun sitting on the edge of her bed at the feet end of it, running a piece of her blanket through his fingers, and he was wearing his full armour again. His free right hand rested upon the head of the wolf Sasha, who he had evidently let into the building.

"Haven't you slept at all?" She asked, still groggy.

His head immediately snapped up as he realised she was awake. "I did sleep, I just woke up again. . . Did I wake you?"

"You didn't, wake me." She yawned, and then asked, "Was it Dethrox again, why you woke?"

He shook his head and said, "I've slept comfortably through worse. I just couldn't sleep for some reason." A heavy sigh blew from him. "Why aren't asleep? If I didn't wake you. . ."

"I just couldn't sleep either." Despite the low light, her vision allowed her to see him squint as if what he had just heard was something of great importance. "What is it?"

"That's a bit of a coincidence, don't you think?" She only nodded. "Come on, get up and put your boots back on. We're leaving. . ."

"What? Why? Because we can't sleep?"

"A hunch. . ." Suddenly, as if hearing something their ears could not pick up, Sasha came up from a semi seated position and looked to one of the windows. "What is it?" Talgrun whispered to the wolf. The wolf only growled a bit. Talgrun only nodded a bit as if understanding what the wolf meant. "Do you need more hunches?" He then said to Xani.

She quickly slipped from underneath the blankets and started to put on her boots. Outside the other wolf started growling as well. For a moment the light in the room seemed to increase for a moment, but then it seemingly died away again. When she had one boot on her feet and was already well on her way with the second, Talgrun softly touched her arm and pointed to one window. "Look." She did and saw there was some light outside. The time of day was somewhere in between sunset and sunrise, and in a night-elven base there are usually very little lights during the night. "There is something going on. . ." Talgrun stated.

She didn't say anything and went on with her second boot, which only took a few seconds. After finishing that and being halfway with putting on the belt with the sheathed sword dangling from it, the captain suddenly burst into the building through the door, startling both.

The captain seemed unsurprised that they were awake. "You need to leave! The demons and undead are attacking in force. If you leave now you can get out of the area unhindered." They both nodded their response and followed the captain out the building. Saddles were quickly put back onto the wolves. Do you know which way you need to go?" The captain asked Xani.

Instead of Xani answering, Talgrun did. "If we can find the ridge to the east of here we should be alright." This time the captain seemed far less annoyed with Talgrun interference.

"That direction!" She quickly shouted.

While Talgrun was already starting in that direction, Xani stayed to ask, "Can you hold against the demons?"

"We've dealt with forces bigger than this. We can hold, at a price." For the captain's service, Xani put her hand upon the soldier's head and spoke a few words, the blessing of Elune. The captain seemed relieved to receive the blessing. Now Xani did leave, following Talgrun to the east, leaving the captain behind to her duties.

The pair raced through the woods and quickly came upon the ridge. They followed the southern side of it in easterly direction.

"Hold!" Talgrun suddenly growled as he ground Sasha to a stop. Xani did so and looked at him questioningly. "We're being followed. . ."

"Than let's go, we can outrun them now!"

"No, we can't. . ." And then within a single moment, Talgrun drew the massive war hammer from his back, turned his torso almost impossibly far, and swung the hammer. The hammer came so near Xani's face that she could feel the wind of it. Her own reflex system as a result flung her of the wolf. During her fall she saw the hammer intercepting a felhound in midair. It's bones crunched as the hammer dug in deep into it's chest, pieces of ribs sticking out through the other side. The felhound was instantly diverted from it's path towards Talgrun and crashed into a nearby tree. Within the next second Talgrun had descended from his mount and looked to Xani, "Are you alright?"

She nodded and quickly got to her feet, drawing her new sword. The wolves were now anxiously growling into the darkness of the forest. Two more felhounds jumped from the bushes, one immediately taken down by the downward to it's head from Talgrun's hammer, completely crushing it's skull into the ground. The second became entangled in a struggle with the two wolves. Clawed paws flashed left and right, ripping through fur. Teeth dug into flesh, ripping it from the body.

"Can you see how many there are?!" Xani immediately began scanning the shadows for any bushes.

"I see, four more felhounds, and. . ." first thing she saw of it was the green burning fire of it's sword. The second was two glowing red orbs where it's eyes were. "A doomguard! How did that get here so fast?!"

"Not important now! Is there anything else out there?"

Once more her eyes pierced the darkness in search of demons, but she couldn't find any more. "No!" And almost the moment she said so, a fifth felhound jumped from a set of nearby bushes. Magic hungry tentacles shot forth and sought to attach themselves to her, so they could suck her dry of magic. Only barely did she manage to dodge the tentacles. When the tentacles came again, and when she had regained her footing, she swung upward at the tentacles, cutting one of. The other withdrew immediately, the beast not wanting to risk loosing that one as well. Instead it started snapping with it's toothed maw. Dodging again, she saw her chance to dig the sword into the felhound's skull. It immediately dropped.

Her priestly training did not bother her one bit while killing these demonic monstrosities. Being a priestess called for the protection of all life, but she would hardly call these beasts life. In fact, the training helped. All priestesses were to at least have some training for self defence, nothing like the military, but still considerable.

When she had turned around after pulling her sword from the felhound's skull, she saw three of the other four felhounds already lay dead, two with evidence that Talgrun had been responsible for their deaths the other with many cuts and missing pieces of flesh and fur as evidence that the wolves had been responsible. Talgrun was repeatedly fending of attack after attack by the doomguard, while keeping the final felhound at bay. The wolves were growling at the doomguard, but otherwise did not dare to attack it.

She had no intention of getting close to the doomguard, a felhound she could take, but a doomguard was a completely different story. _I should have taken a bow from the armoury! _She thought angrily. So instead of a bow, she picked up a good sized rock and threw it at the felhound, trying to get it's attention.

When the rock connected with it's head, it became interested to the fullest. It's head whirled her way and it's maw opened wide to growl, it had found a new target. Aggressively, the beast attacked. Being her nimble self, she managed to repeatedly dodge the felhound's assaults, while cutting it repeatedly. The cuts were not much on their own, but they accumulated quickly. From Talgrun's direction she heard a grunt which she couldn't make out what caused it, but a string of orcish curse words followed. There wasn't any time to look though, the felhound needed dealing with.

The final cut to the felhound's head finished it of, leaving her free to look to Talgrun. The doomguard was on the ground, it's head seemingly missing. Upon closer look one would have seen it wasn't missing, just crushed into the chest. But Talgrun seemed to waver on his legs. His knees gave way and he sagged to the ground, coming down on his knees. She was quickly at his side, to inspect the wounds. She only found one in his side though, caused by the flaming sword of the doomguard. To a night-elf it might be a significant injury, but with Talgrun she had seen him shrug of worse and go on as normal. The wound was quickly healed, but Talgrun seemingly remained in pain.

"What is it? I have seen you not notice worse wounds then this." The wolf Sasha approached to take a look as well, just as worried as Xani was.

"I'm getting to old for this. . . It's the shoulder again. It's as stiff as that hammer. That was one injury to many." His voice sounded genuinely hopeless.

"Nonsense, let me tend to it and it'll be as good as new when I'm done. I should have done that long ago. . ."

"NO!" He stood up, grunting the pain away. "We still have a message to deliver. After we're done with that, you can heal as you please. First, we get to the outpost."

She gave up trying to convince him. The wolves' wounds were minor, limited to a few scratches which would heal quickly on their own. Thus they rode on to the outpost, without being hindered by more ambushes. They reached Dragonmaw outpost in the morning.

* * *

Gaining entrance to the Dragonmaw outpost had been significantly easier than gaining entrance to the night-elven base. Xani's presence seemingly could not deter Talgrun's credibility as the champion of the Horde one bit. While from the outside there seemed to have been no change at all, only a few new corpses of demons around the walls, inside there was something quite different. Or rather, something had been added that seemed quite out of place. 

"What in Elune's name is _that_!" Xani asked as they rode to the stronghold. She pointed at the massive. . . _thing_, that hovered just a few feet over the ground above one of the larger open area in the outpost.

"That's a zeppelin." Talgrun said matter-of-factly. And it was a fairly large one at that. The massive balloon held a sort of boat in the air. The boat itself was already several dozen feet in length, and fifteen feet wide, the balloon was many times larger. "Goblins make them. If one has enough money, you can charter one to fly anywhere the goblins dare to fly."

"Why would you need a zeppelin if you have the wyverns?" She didn't like the sight of monstrous looking contraption one bit. It looked as though it might crash at any time. It did go up and down as various parts were adjusted by the crew, sometimes almost touching the ground, sometimes almost pulling free the cables which were supposed to hold it down. But somehow the crew managed to keep it flying.

"Only a few can ride wyverns, and zeppelins can carry far heavier loads than wyverns can. I wonder why it's here though. . ." To Talgrun the zeppelin was at most a curiosity. In his days he had seen quite a few of them.

Gaining entry to the stronghold took somewhat more time because the guards were more suspicious of Xani when she was actually standing, and towering over, in front of them. Nonetheless, they managed to reach the outpost commander without much trouble.

"Alright, the message will be passed on to the wyvern rider who will then bring the message to the convoy. They will have the message within the day. . ." The commander reassured them upon hearing the message himself. Not long after one of the guards patrolling the stronghold was send out to the wyvern rider. "I take it you two need to get back up north, eh?" The friendly commander asked. The man was the sort of commander who was not particularly good at tactics or strategic thinking, but was exceptionally good at making sure everybody under his command was healthy and, if possible, happy. Talgrun had seen enough of the sort to know they could be very good at running an outpost like this one did, but might not be of as much use in the field.

"Yes, we do. . ."

"Then I've got just the thing." The commander said, smiling. "I'm sure you've seen the zeppelin outside. . . It's headed north with additional troops for the Warchief and his merry band of leaders. I'm sure there is room enough for one orc and one night-elf, possibly even the mounts."

"That would be great!" Talgrun replied.

"What?" Xani asked, not understanding the conversation held in common.

"We can have a ride on the zeppelin, it's headed north anyway." She didn't seem to like the idea one bit, but otherwise kept quiet for the moment.

"I'll see what I can do for you. . ." Were the commander's parting words. The man left the room they were in.

"Don't tell me you have a fear of flying?" Talgrun asked when they were the only ones left in the room. "Or is it something else?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. . ." Xani replied, trying to sound and look as serious as possible. She failed.

"Oh, come one! Even a blind person could see the look upon your face when I told you we would be riding on the zeppelin." He smiled as her mask of seriousness fell from her face.

"It's a perversity of nature! Everything about it is just so twisted. . ."

He sighed heavily, not knowing what to say. Then he came up with something. "I thought you wanted to try and heal the shoulder. You'd have plenty of time to do so on that thing."

She sighed, knowing she couldn't persuade him, and knowing he was right. "Fine. . ."

"Come on. I'm sure everything will be fine. . ." He of course didn't tell her of how in the past several zeppelins had, seemingly without reason, exploded.

* * *

A/N : Thanks to those who have reviewed! 


	27. Chapter 25: Perversity of Nature, Flying

I apologise for being late. It seems I am a very lazy person when it comes to fishing out the various spelling mistakes (nobody's perfect). Anyhoo, read on!

* * *

**  
Chapter 25: Perversity of Nature, Flying**

There had even been room for the wolves upon the zeppelin, they were now held in special cages of sorts within the innards of the zeppelin. Although Xani was still far from comfortable about travelling on something that looked like it was being held up by hot air, or whatever it was that filled the balloon, and powered by an engine that expelled thick black clouds, most of the other passengers didn't seem to be. Talgrun seemed to be the least bit concerned. Even though the zeppelin was always swaying from side to side, he walked around as if he had travelled by means of a zeppelin many times before. Knowing him, she didn't find that implausible. She generally just tried to hold on to the side, or the ropes which kept the whole zeppelin from falling apart. Constantly the crew of midget green creatures hurried around, adjusting all sorts of settings on valves, pulling and retying ropes or feeding the engine more fuel.

But despite the seemingly constant danger of the balloon blowing up or rupturing, it was the engine that unsettled Xani most. It burned the natural materials of the world in order to somehow make two propellers turn. The billowing black smoke the engine cast out was what Xani despised especially. The whole thing stank unlike anything she had smelled before.

Thus she was especially grateful when Talgrun sat down next to her at the edge of the zeppelin, now at least she had something to distract her from the various perversities around her. He had been walking around, speaking to various groups of passengers, telling them the news from the leaders and telling them to not worry about the seemingly drowsy night-elf at the edge of the zeppelin. "They all know now. . ." He said absently as he stared out from the zeppelin, looking out over the forest which lay hundreds of feet below them.

"Now. . ." She started. ". . .May I finally start working on your shoulder?"

He sighed and said, "Alright." And then stood up to sit down on her other side, so his left shoulder was turned to her. With nimble fingers she unlatched the thick leather straps which tied the armour to his shoulder and then, with considerable effort, lifted the armour of his shoulder and put it on the ground, leaving her wondering just how heavy the entirety of his armour was.

With her flat hands she probed the shoulder, trying to discover what it was that was wrong. The thick scars which covered parts of the shoulder were not making her job any easier. She didn't take long to find what it was that bothered Talgrun so much, and started her task of healing. For a moment she wondered why Talgrun hadn't felt constant pain.

"Still unhappy about flying on this thing?" He asked after she had been busy for a few moments.

"Even more." She said, chuckling. Her hands worked on his shoulder effectively, sometimes light flared briefly as result of magical healing. "Move your arm for a moment." He did so, winching in pain when the shoulder jerked for a moment, something having audibly slipped into place. She resumed her healing, confident that she would succeed, even though it might take a few minutes. "So. . . Back in the forest, you said were getting to _old_." He winched at the word 'old', not liking the subject. "You don't really think that, right? I mean, I am no expert on orcs, but I don't think you're anywhere near the end of your life."

"It's not that. . ." He said, sighing heavily.

"Then what is it? If it's not age, then what? Since night-elves don't actually age, I am probably a lot older than you are."

"Age isn't just years. . ." He stared of at some point far away. "How old are you then?"

"Two-hundred-twenty-nine, practically a child still." She saw him swallow hard and look at her briefly upon hearing it.

"That's almost five times I am. . . In years." He breathed in and out calmly, regaining his posture. "But besides the past two months, how much have you really seen, done, in those years. How much of it was routine day in, day out?" And after a second's hesitation, "How many not so. . . Nice. . . _things_, have you seen in those years."

"Seen very little. . . Done very little. . . A lot of routine. . ." She said solemnly, fully understanding his point.

"I have had very little routine. Even amongst my people, I have seen a lot of war, a lot of horrible things." Once more he sighed heavily. "See? I am the older one here."

"I understand."

"Age isn't just years." He said once more. To Xani it didn't seem fitting for just Talgrun, but very much for Kaylin as well, the weathered veteran who had fought during the original invasion of the Burning Legion and since then in almost all other conflicts involving the night-elves.

A minute later, Xani lifted her hands from his shoulder. "Move it for a moment." Again he flexed the arm, and once more something audibly slipped into place. But after the initial pain of that happening, the pain completely subsided. "Now, can you test the strength in the shoulder?" This last test would determine whether she had succeeded completely, or failed horribly. If the latter, the shoulder might be irreparably damaged. To do as she had asked, he laid down on his stomach, spread out his feet, and with just his left arm pushed himself of the ground and then repeated it several times. She looked in awe as he followed it up by pulling himself up at a rope with just his left. She had known he was unfathomably strong, but he was also very heavy, especially with the armour. Thus she had never expected him to be capable of the things he just did. "Uh, how does it feel?" She asked, still in awe.

Once more he flexed. "It feels great! No pain, no stiffness!" Still standing, he straightened up to his full height, almost as if standing at attention, and, in a somewhat mock way, bowed slightly in a ceremonious way, "I thank you. . ." She couldn't help but chuckle at his theatrics. After that he sat down next to her again. "But seriously. . . Thanks." Just as she was still suppressing another chuckle, he stared at the other passengers on the deck who were now staring at them, confused. "What?!" He snapped at them in three different languages in quick succession. The passengers immediately went back to what they had been doing.

When she had finally suppressed her laughter, she said, "You have a way with people." She didn't say the rest she would have said, cut of by a smile from Talgrun.

They remained silent for a few more minutes, looking out over the landscape. But after a while Talgrun started, "Xani. . ." She couldn't even recall the last time he had called her by her name, if he ever had. Once she might have even wondered if she had told him her name at all. ". . . Did I ever thank you for. . ." He gestured at the trio of scars, of which two crossed the eyes. Over the past two months, the scars had become less noticeable, going from thick dark coloured scars to somewhat less thick less obviously coloured scars.

She thought back and couldn't remember whether he had. A different memory came up that made any thanks completely obsolete, though. "The look on your face after we removed the bandage from your eyes and you saw for the first time again was thanks enough for me." She thought back again to that look of relief, and then remembered that he had in fact thanked her. "You did, by the way, thank me. . ."

* * *

For several more hours the zeppelin flew at a steady speed across the landscape. After a while the engine which propelled the zeppelin started belching out far less fumes. Talgrun later told her that the goblins had apparently fixed something in the engine. From up in the sky she had a rather unique view of the situation below. While most of the landscape was an endless sea of green trees, she also noticed other things. At one point directly below them she saw, in between the trees, a group of demons hurrying about. They didn't look up, as if not even not even noticing the zeppelin. How they couldn't notice was a mystery to Xani, the zeppelin's engine produced a great amount of noise.

She prodded Talgrun, wanting to make him look down as well, but the only response she got from him was an annoyed grunt. Looking towards the orc, it became apparent to her that he had fallen asleep while resting against the side of the zeppelin. Once more she prodded. "Talgrun!" With a start he awoke. "Look. . ." He looked at what she pointed at.

"Demons. . ." He muttered, still groggy, clearly rather still asleep.

As if her pointing down had summoned it, a massive explosion rocked the ground where the demons had been. Bits and pieces of stone, trees and demons flew all over. The vibrations the explosion send rippling through the air rocked the zeppelin. Xani almost fell down, but was caught by Talgrun, rescuing her from an unceremonious fall on her backside. On the other side of the zeppelin another unprepared passenger nearly went overboard, only barely holding on to some ropes.

Talgrun put her back where she had been sitting. Xani immediately hung over the zeppelin's edge again, looking at where there used to be several dozen demons, now there was only a large crater visible through the dense dust and smoke kicked up by the explosion. On the rear end of the zeppelin, several goblins danced around ecstatically, shouting gleefully in their high pitched voices.

Xani couldn't feel the same though. She only saw what remained of where the demons had been. Within the crater nothing remained, for dozens of feet beyond it all trees had been blasted against the ground. "Those. . ." She needed all the restraint she had to not start cursing at the goblins. ". . . They destroyed the whole forest!" Not only were night-elves brought up to be respectful of nature, but her priestly training required she protect ALL life. "Why did they do that!? It was just a few demons, they couldn't have done a lot of harm!" Because of her anger she did not see the whole picture, something Talgrun did see.

"We left the ridge behind long ago, we're practically at you night-elves' front door. If there were demons here, they somehow managed to get past the night-elven forces protecting the passage in here." Talgrun explained coolly, but seemingly understanding of her reaction. "They were not supposed to have been there. . . Yet." She could understand his coolness, orcs were not instilled with the same respect for nature as night-elves.

Xani recognised the logic, and tried to calm down a bit, only succeeding partly. Again she hung over the side of the zeppelin, looking back to the crater, which was now further away. "But couldn't they have done it some other way!" The goblins were still ecstatically happy about their accomplishment, although they were soon distracted when the engine started to make an awful racket and started expelling black smoke again. It was nothing a few yanks on levers and other technical adjustments didn't fix.

"For them there wasn't another way. . . Besides, did you want to go down there and hunt them down one by one?" He didn't expect an answer and she didn't give him one, she only continued to look back at the crater, while Talgrun positioned himself comfortably in an attempt to fall asleep once more. Before he did, though, he said, "They're lucky there isn't a shaman on board, I imagine a shaman would have had some objections."

"A shaman? What is that?" She asked.

"I didn't tell you about those?" She only shook her head. He sighed and started to explain. She soon found her previous assumption to be incorrect. Orcs did in fact have a great respect for nature, just in a different way than night-elves, and had since only a short while ago begun to rediscover those shamanistic roots again. After a while he just started to give a general history lesson on shamans from the period in time when they had been slowly replaced by warlocks, up to the last few years in which the shamans had made their return to the orcs. It was almost an hour later when he had finished. ". . .And thus the shamans made their return." He ended sagely, a stark contrast from the warmer storytelling tone he had used throughout the story.

Xani actually felt sorry the history lesson was over, she wanted to hear more. Warm memories of days in the past in which she had sat for hours on end upon her father's knee listening to his endless amount of stories, who was also a great storyteller, came back to her. Then all the warm memories and warm feelings left her in a rush, replaced by a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach she recognised as fear. She hadn't thought of her parents for months, and now regretted it.

It was apparently so obvious that Talgrun said, "What? Am I that bad?" She could only shake her head. To avoid having to look at Talgrun, she looked at the forest below. "What then?" He said, gently encouraging her to say what it was.

"It's my parents. . ." He looked puzzled, his eyes asking more questions than any words could. "They live here, in Ashenvale. . . I fear for their lives. . ."

Talgrun didn't take long to understand her situation. "I'm sure they would have left the area once they recognised the danger. . ." Talgrun didn't know a single thing about her parents, so she didn't blame him for saying it.

"That's the problem, they wouldn't have fled. If there was any danger. . . Well, my dad used to be an officer. Not one of the high ones, but he still has the heart of a soldier. He wouldn't have left. And my mother. . . Well, if he stayed, she stayed. They would have protected their village, probably even if it killed them." She sighed heavily, letting her hands rest upon her hands.

"Sorry if I sound blunt. . ." Talgrun said hesitantly. ". . . But for an orc that wouldn't be a wrong way to die, protecting what you care about. . . I don't know how that is with night-elves, but for an orc it would be considered honourable."

"It is such for night-elves as well, but I'd still rather have them be alive." He nodded understandingly. She tried to direct her thoughts elsewhere, and if not for the impossibly small black specks in the distance would have failed. Slowly her full attention was drawn to the curious specks hanging in the air far away, for they seemed to grow. A feeling of dread came over her as the specks grew larger and seemed to be heading for them with purpose, her parents now pushed to the back of her mind. Her arm stretched out to point at the specks. "Look." She muttered to Talgrun.

He looked to where she pointed and seemed to at first remain oblivious to the specks which were very clear to Xani, but she remembered that orcs did not see quite as well as night-elves. Talgrun did however notice the specks after a few seconds, beating Xani's expectations of when he'd do so. "Yes I see them. They're coming this way. Can you see what they are?" Even though the specks were heading towards them at a considerable pace, she couldn't quite make out what they were yet. "If they're gryphons or wyverns we shouldn't worry. . ."

"They're not that, I can say that much." She immediately had his full attention. They both peered towards the specks, waiting for them to get clearer. They finally came into focus for Xani, but she had never seen anything like them. Their thin bodies and long bat-like wings with claws on the end were unfamiliar to her. Their heads with large bat-like snouts and long ears were equally strange. "I don't know what they are, I've never seen anything like them. They don't look friendly though. . ."

Not long after, when the unknown creatures were still many hundreds of feet away from them, Talgrun could see them more clearly as well. He immediately got away from the edge of the zeppelin and started looking for the goblin who was in charge of the zeppelin. After a frantic conversation, the goblin took a long cylinder from within his clothing and looked through it at the specks. The goblin nearly dropped the cylinder when he recognised the flying beasts after only looking at them for a second. One second of astonishment later and the goblin started screaming frantic orders at the other goblins and passengers.

Talgrun returned to Xani and said, "Gargoyles. . . The goblins are certainly not happy with the news. They have bows and guns in storage. . ." At that very moment the first set of crates was lifted from the bowels of the zeppelin and put on the deck. They were quickly opened and bows appeared. From another set of crates guns appeared, and from another set appeared ammunition for both. The quality of both the bows and guns was sub-standard, but it would have to do.

Xani remained at the edge of the zeppelin, again wishing she had taken a bow from the armoury in the night-elven base, while Talgrun quickly worked his way through the throngs trying to get their hands on weapons. When he appeared again, he threw a bow and a filled quiver at her. She caught them and slung the quiver unto her back, the bow she took in her left. Talgrun had chosen a larger bow for himself and, relatively, even larger arrows. "Why exactly are the goblins so afraid of gargoyles?" She asked.

"A gargoyle's claws can easily rip through the material of the balloon, which would cause us to crash." He gestured up at the massive balloon above their heads. Xani didn't take long to imagine what would happen if they'd crash from this height.

Not long after all the passengers and spare goblins of the crew, who were not absolutely needed to tend to the engine, were lined up at one side of the zeppelin, guns and bows readied. A few of the goblins were visibly trembling with fear, perhaps having gone through this sort of situation before. As a precaution the crew was already trying to lower the zeppelin to the ground, but if a crash was going to happen, it would take quite some time before they reached a relatively safe height to do so from.

Xani was momentarily distracted when something tapped against her leg. She turned to look down at the goblin leader. The goblin also got Talgrun's attention and asked something. "He wants to know whether you're as good with a bow as they say night-elves are." She nodded, something the goblin understood readily without translation. Again the goblin said something to Talgrun, who then translated, "You may shoot whenever you're ready, the rest of us will fire simultaneously at the first salvo." Again she nodded, the goblin left again, taking his own position amongst the lined up defenders.

When she looked to the gargoyles again, they were almost within range already. Her bow quickly came up with an arrow readied on the bowstring. All others were looking tensely at the fast approaching gargoyles, while waiting for the lead goblin's attack order. There was quite a bit of wind, making Xani's shot quite difficult. Her abilities were just as any other night-elves when there wasn't any wind, but when there was wind that changed drastically. But she had also learned how to compensate for the wind, what she did now.

When the gargoyle she focused upon came within range, she let go of the arrow. For the first few moments it arced upward, but then arced down towards the gargoyle. The arrow impacted the gargoyle she had intended to hit, which she was glad about, but the gargoyle didn't seem to go down from the hit, even though it was hit in the left shoulder. It flapped about madly, but managed to maintain course towards the zeppelin. She quickly lined up another arrow, compensated for the shortened distance and wind, and let go again. Again the arrow impacted, this time in the other shoulder, she had over compensated for the wind.

At first it seemed the gargoyle would still manage to maintain it's course, but after a few jerky flaps of it's long wings it finally plummeted to the ground. A short cheer arose amongst the defenders as the odds were now an exact three dozen gargoyles versus just over two dozen defenders. She couldn't help but feel somewhat disappointed, though. Both times she had aimed for the head, and both times she had missed. _When I have the time, I ought to get some practise._

* * *

Even though the rest of passengers obviously only saw the dead gargoyle, Talgrun wondered whether she had intended to hit the gargoyle in that way. There wasn't a lot of time to ponder it, though. "Ready!" the lead goblin shouted. Immediately the bows and guns came back up, after having momentarily been lowered during the cheering. "Pick your targets!" Talgrun already had picked one all the way to the left. "Fire!" Came the high pitched voice of the goblin. Within an instant around a dozen guns shot their metallic projectiles towards the gargoyles, causing a deafening noise. The bows delivered their sharp charges quietly, but almost just as effectively.

Bullets ripped through the flesh of the gargoyles, while arrows became stuck within the gargoyle flesh. But only a few of the gargoyles went down. Those with bows managed a second volley before the guns had even reloaded, causing a few more gargoyles to go down, but far from enough. They were to fast and numerous to take down before they reached the defenders. Gargoyles dived upon the defenders, grabbing them and pulling them of the zeppelin, to either let them fall down or bite them to death and then drop them. One gargoyle ripped a cluster of ropes up front which had held balloon attached to the rest of the airship, causing the deck to tilt slightly to the front, but not much. There were six such bundles, three on each side of the ship, spread along the length of it.

Another gargoyle let it's claws rip into the deck of the zeppelin, apparently aiming for someone who had wisely moved out of the way, but when it realized it hadn't hit anything, it tore through another bundle of ropes on the left side of the zeppelin, in the middle. Abruptly the deck tilted more, now hanging diagonally. Even now most people managed to remain standing, the deck not so tilted yet that they'd lose balance. The crew were forced to abandon their continuous tinkering though, and picked up guns to start firing at the gargoyles.

The defenders were frantically trying to hit the gargoyles, but now that they buzzed all around the zeppelin it was hard to even see them clearly. Only sporadically did someone shoot, and even on even fewer occasions did anyone even hit anything.

A sudden high pitched sound overwhelmed the defenders. While trying to cover his ears, Talgrun looked to where the sound was coming from. A short distance from the zeppelin a pair of gargoyles hung in the air, screeching an incredibly loud high pitched tone that would have made glass burst. Trying to ignore the sound, he aimed for the gargoyles, but he couldn't get his aim straight. Then suddenly, the sound disappeared. So surprised that the pressure was gone from his ears, he forgot to shoot. It wouldn't have mattered anyway, though. A moment later, the pair of gargoyles unleashed a wall a sound towards the zeppelin.

The wall could actually been as the air seeming to shimmer. There wasn't a lot of time to look at it, though, for it impacted. The defenders were thrown about like rag dolls, more than a few thrown of the ship, while the lucky ones crashed into the small structure in the middle of the deck. For a moment everything made of wood seemed to disintegrate into splinters. The splinters settled upon the deck, revealing that there was in fact still something left for the splinters to fall upon.

Within moments the defenders were all back on their feet trying to shoot at the gargoyles, but only managing to hit those that had produced the wall of sound and the high pitched screech. Those two did go down with bullet holes and arrows sticking out of them. A sudden jerk and a third bundle of ropes snapped, the second one up front to snap. The deck tilted even more, now so much that nobody managed to remain standing. Finally letting go of the bow, he dug his hands into a hole in the deck to not slide of the zeppelin.

A loud bang announced the death of the zeppelin's engine. Not having had the continuous care it needed, it had blown up. A piece of shrapnel from the engine did what the gargoyles had not done themselves, it ripped through the cloth of the balloon. Within seconds a hole several feet in width had opened up. Not long after the zeppelin was noticeably descending faster and faster. The gargoyles stayed on them, though. Ripping two of the remaining three rope bundles.

The airship broke up. Parts of the hull came loose. Hanging from the last bundle of ropes, the part of the zeppelin which no longer looked like a boat began spinning under the effects of the air rushing past it. And as the zeppelin kept spinning, Talgrun tried to hold on. From somewhere within the airship he heard the wolves roaring madly. Elsewhere he heard the high pitched voice of the lead goblin as he was caught by a gargoyle. From somewhere else came a fearful scream, he thought it was Xani, but the scream quickly faded.

The last thing he remembered before everything went black was leaves and a trunk rushing past him and then a loud crash.


	28. Chapter 26: Perversity of Nature, Crashe

What I forgot mention last time is that Of Blood and Chaos is now over one year old! That, in my opinion, is quite something, to have worked on something for over one year. Oh, and for those few who may have noticed: In the drop down menu where you select the chapter you want to read. . . Excuses for the missing letter in the chapter name, but the site won't let me input anything longer. . .

* * *

**  
Chapter 26: Perversity of Nature, Crashed**

An immense pain wrecked her head, but amazingly the fall had not send her unconscious. Or perhaps it had and she just couldn't remember the part where she woke up from it. That said, she couldn't remember a lot of things. She opened her eyes, only to shut them immediately again, because of a bright light shining in her eyes. Even through her eyelids the light burned open her eyes. The pain in her head made any sane thought almost impossible, the pain in the rest of her body made any movement impossible.

The last thing she could remember was hanging on to the zeppelin and then something jerking her away from it. She had lashed out at it, only to be dropped to the ground from great height. There were only a few sounds around her, most were of moaning people, one was a bird chirping, and another was a wolf yelping like a dog that had just been kicked.

The light seized to burn so brightly, she could feel the intensity lessen through her eyelids. Once more her eyes opened, one of the few bits of movement she was capable of. It had been the sun burning so brightly, but now clouds had passed in front of it, very, very dark clouds. Just a little to her left was thick row of trees, to the right she heard a lot of the moaning, but it was past her vision.

With great effort, and trying to ignore the pain it added to those already present in her head, she turned her head to the right. Mostly, there was only a great pile of wood, with a few semi-recognisable parts of the zeppelin sticking up. The balloon hung in the trees. One dwarf sat dazed on a large boulder, looking across the crash site. One wolf lay amongst the rubble with a piece of wood through it's flank. It was Xani's.

Keeping her eyes open proved to be a difficult task, one she only barely succeeded at. Something pulled on her consciousness, wanting to pull her into unconsciousness. There was movement amongst the rubble. A pile of it seemed to heave up and down as if breathing. It turned out it was not the rubble breathing, but someone underneath the rubble trying to lift the rubble of him. The someone was Talgrun, who, as far as Xani could see, had only suffered minor gashes from all the splintery bits of wood all over the unprotected parts of his body, his face and neck mostly.

He hadn't seen her lying in the shadows yet, her inherent skin colour and new dark blue armour making that fairly hard. At the moment at least he didn't seem to be interested in finding her, for he moved with purpose to another part of the crash site. There he lifted rubble of another victim. Surprisingly unscathed, Sasha appeared from the rubble. At least for the moment satisfied, Talgrun sat down upon a piece of rubble and started pulling splinters from his neck and face while looking for other survivors amongst the rubble.

He was only looking at the rubble and thus didn't see Xani lying further beyond the rubble near the edge of the forest, the zeppelin had crashed in the middle of a small clearing. Although pain still wrecked her head, the thought that at least some had survived comforted her a bit. After a minute or so Talgrun once more started digging through the rubble. With all the strength she could muster Xani tried to call to him, but the sound coming from her mouth wasn't enough to reach him, the noise he made himself by searching through the rubble drowning her voice out. After a while he stopped digging and lifted a female troll from the rubble. She was either unconscious or dead, for she didn't move. Talgrun brought his left ear close to her mouth, listening or feeling for a breath. Not long after he once more lifted the troll up and then carried her away from the rubble. The fact he took the trouble told Xani the troll was still alive.

He put the troll down not far from where Xani was lying. As he inspected the wounds decorating the troll's body, Xani once more tried to call for him. If sound had come from her mouth, she hadn't heard it, but apparently Talgrun had, for his head instantly turned to her.

After one more glance at the troll, he went over to her. "Are you alright?" She shook her head, or at least as close to it as she could get. She tried to keep her eyes fixed upon Talgrun, but they kept spinning around against her will. "Easy. . . I'm going to look around for others. Don't die on me, okay?" A slight nod was the only answer she managed. Before her eyes could even attempt to track his movement, he was gone, Sasha with him. Her head rolled to face upward, but now she couldn't find the strength to turn it back again. _Come back! _She wanted to shout, but couldn't. A fear gripped her, now that she lay all alone in the shadows, looking up at an almost black sky. _Come back! _But again she couldn't speak. Moments later she fell unconscious, into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

Thunder rolled through the forest. More lightning streaked across the sky, followed by more thunder. The first drop of rain fell down on Talgrun's ear. _Great! Just what I need! _This had to be one of the most difficult positions he had been in. Try as he might he could not find a way to at least make their situation a little better. 

First problem was he had no idea where they really were. Just before the zeppelin had crashed it had also gone of course, or at least he assumed it was such, for it had drifted closer to a mountain range than they should have ever gotten.

Second problem was that he, besides a wolf and a dwarf who had apparently taken such a hit to his head to have gotten a bad case of amnesia, was the only one physically mostly intact, although he had to admit his head felt as if a trio of infernals were stomping around in it. To Talgrun it seemed quite a miracle that Xani was alive. She had made a freefall for a distance before hitting the ground, at least Talgrun had some bits of zeppelin to slow his fall before hitting bottom. Xani only had the thin layer of moss on which she lay now.

The dwarf was alright physically, but the only thing he had done so far was sit on a boulder and stare ahead of him. The troll he had found was very much the same as Xani, except that the troll hadn't woken up at all. Since the troll he had found only one other survivor, a human. Only, he wouldn't be alive for much longer unless Xani would stand up right now and start healing, which was highly unlikely.

He was in fact leaning over the dying human right now. A large piece of rubble stuck out from the man's side. The human was still conscious, but that wouldn't last. A red stream flowed from the human's side. Talgrun hadn't dared to remove the rubble, not because it wasn't possible, but because it might do more bad than good.

For the past minute the man had been speaking all sorts of nonsense about all the strange things he was seeing right now. _Perhaps he isn't quite conscious. . . _He had no real desire to sit by the human until the man had passed away, but it didn't feel right to leave the man alone now. In between the man's ramblings he looked to Xani, who it seemed was still unconscious, the only sign that she was still alive the slight heaving of her chest when she breathed.

The rain began in earnest. While trying to shield the dying human's face from the rain, he saw Sasha trying get the attention of the dwarf, who even now remained still upon his boulder.

After a few minutes the human, almost without warning, suddenly let out his last breath, eyes staring. Gently he closed the man's eyes and then left the body. First he picked up the troll and lay her down somewhere out of the rain. He then went to Xani.

Xani was awake and looking extremely terrified. The only part of her that moved out of her own will was her eyes, which were now fixed upon Talgrun. The rest of her body now shook violently, the downpour having already crept into every small crevice of her leather armour as well as her skin. Carefully, to not rattle her battered head any more than necessary, he picked her up and then equally careful lay her down not far from the troll, out of the rain.

The dwarf hadn't move as of yet, but still Sasha tried to make him do so. "Sasha!" He called her to him. After only a second's hesitation looking at the dwarf, Sasha quickly got out of the rain. Together with Sasha, Talgrun sat against a tree in between Xani and the troll.

He tried to find some way to be able to move everybody, but couldn't find it. At least one needed to come to his or her senses or be able to move before he could try anything. Than he'd only have two wounded to transport, which wouldn't be to much of a problem. One could be carried by Sasha, while he carried the other himself. But it didn't look like any of them would miraculously heal on their own.

A touch on his arm roused him from his pondering. He looked to the source and saw Xani had managed to move a her arm, a little bit. "Can you talk?" He asked softly. All he picked up over the sound of the rain was some moans that might have been 'not really'. "Can you move?" Again there was not much of an answer, only a moan that might have meant anything and some shivering. Her eyes remained fixed upon him, seemingly begging him not to go away. He had no intention to do so.

In an attempt to stop her shivering he drew her closer and wrapped an arm around her, to shield her from the wind. She seemed to not mind at all. He cast one more look to the troll on his other side, who was still breathing, and now with Sasha beside her would also be out of the wind and somewhat warmer. The rain continued to beat upon the wreckage of the zeppelin lying in the slight clearing, yet the tree underneath which they sat still provided them with some cover. There was no more he could do for now except continue to ponder what to do after the rain subsided.

And still the dwarf remained where he was, perched on his boulder, staring ahead. _Something must have taken a serious hit in his head. . . _Was one of the last thoughts before he dozed of into a half-sleep.

* * *

Feeling safe so close to Talgrun, Xani had dared let herself fall asleep again. Her dreams did not bring much rest though. Always facing up and seemingly always falling, she had no idea how far away the ground was. The not knowing where the ground was, was the worst. It terrified beyond reason. An impossibility only caused her fear to increase a thousand fold. Suddenly she impacted a branch. The branch broke and she continued her fall, not once did she actually see the branch or the tree, it was as if she had impacted an invisible branch in midair. What else could be floating around, waiting for her to fall upon. 

She closed her eyes, trying to make the fear go away, hoping she'd finally hit bottom so it would end. But when she did hit bottom it was surprisingly gentle.

"I've got you!" She suddenly heard the raucous voice of Talgrun which so horribly conveyed the night-elven language, before she even knew she'd been caught. Strong arms kept her aloft for a moment, holding her close, before gently laying her on the ground. He then retracted his arms and stepped back. But the moment he had stepped back, she felt herself sinking through the ground. She attempted to grab a hold of Talgrun, but he was to far away, and neither could he reach her in time.

She took in a big gulp of air, expecting to be swallowed by the earth, but just as the earth came up to her nose, she fell through the ground and was again falling down. Above her was no sign that she had ever sunken through the ground. Again a branch seemed to impact her and break, and again she was caught by Talgrun who again welcomed her with, "I've got you!" Desperately she tried to tell him to not put her down, but he didn't react, he put her down anyway and stepped back. She fell through the earth again and restarted the cycle. Over and over she fell. . .

Until she awoke. . .

* * *

First thing she noticed was that the heavy arm around her shoulder was gone and that she was no longer leaning against anything metallic. Second was that the rain had subsided. The headache had subsided somewhat, as had the weakness in other parts of her body. She found she could at least readily turn her head to look around. 

The sun was shining, morning having arrived already. To her side sat the troll, awake also, and seemingly in far better condition than before. The troll merely nodded to her, acknowledging her being awake. Xani knew trolls had a historic animosity with anything remotely elven and this one seemed not one bit to pleased about there being an elf anywhere within a hundred feet of her, let alone a mere nine feet away. Sasha lay in between them, seemingly waiting for something. The dwarf remained perched unmoving on top his boulder.

But no matter in which direction she looked, Talgrun was nowhere to be seen. As there was nothing else for her to attempt, Xani bend as much towards Sasha as her painful limbs allowed. Perhaps the rather special bond the wolf had with it's master made it capable of giving some sort of indication. It was wishful thinking, but she needed something other than her pain to think about. "Where'd Talgrun go?" Sasha tilt her head towards Xani once, and then went back to looking across the zeppelin crash site at the edge of the forest on the other side of the clearing. _Than, perhaps, that is where he went. . ._

But a more definite answer came from the troll to her side. "Talgrun?" She asked, slightly surprised. Xani nodded her answer, something at least all the races she had met readily understood. The troll said some more ,of which Xani understood nothing, and then gestured across the clearing to where Sasha was looking.

Understanding her meaning that that was where Talgrun had gone to, she used one of the few orcish words she had picked up over the past two months. "Okay." Feeling the need to at least know something about the person she might be lying next to for the rest of the day, Xani gestured at herself and said, "Xani"

The troll understood her meaning and played along, also bringing her own hand up to gesture at herself. "Shan'to." The blue-skinned troll spoke, followed by a brief wry grin. After that the troll lost all interest in Xani and started plucking at the light axe that lay on her stomach.

For a little while longer they lay in silence, until Sasha suddenly went half-way to fully standing up. She stared almost longingly across the clearing, as if expecting something to appear. Instead of a something, Talgrun appeared. He climbed his way over the rubble, waving briefly at them when he saw they had noticed him.

Upon arrival he told Xani and Shan'to, respectively in night-elven and orcish, "The only thing I found were tracks that could not have been demons, perhaps they were trolls, but not any I have ever seen. No sign of Horde, Alliance or night-elven forces. At least not in that direction. I'm going to look in that direction." He pointed in the opposite direction from where he had come, directly behind Xani and Shan'to. Before he left, he left them a flask of water he found on his scouting, which had been dropped from the zeppelin.

While Talgrun was gone, Xani continued to try to get limbs to work properly. Although the pain in her whole body receded slightly and she managed to reposition her legs to lie more comfortably, the pain in her head increased from her continuous moving. Even light caused her head-aches, so she kept her eyes closed most of the time.

Having her eyes closed, it was only through the loud thud and the gasp from Shan'to that she even noticed the dwarf had toppled of his boulder. When she looked, she saw it was as if the dwarf had collapsed as if suddenly having fallen asleep.

Sasha seemed none to pleased with the situation and fully stood up to growl at an area to the left of where Talgrun had appeared from the forest. Was she just imagining, or did she hear muttering come from that very direction? Just as Sasha slowly started stalking towards that part of the forest, she yelped for a moment, something having hit her. The wolf growled angrily towards whatever had done so and looked ready to start into a run, when the giant wolf yelped again and dropped to the ground.

There were two small darts sticking out of the wolf's throat. _Poisoned darts! _Xani quickly realized. Shan'to tried to stand up, which she succeeded at. But a dart imbedded itself in her neck as well, causing her drop to her knees, but the troll refused to go unconscious. Just as she tried to use pure willpower to will herself back up and attack whatever attacked them, a second dart hit her in the shoulder. The poison acted quickly and put the troll down on the ground, unconscious, within the following second.

Xani could do nothing besides squirming a bit as she watched six figures appearing from the forest's edge. They looked like the male variants of Shan'to's race, except that they were far more muscled and had a dark purple, almost black, for skin colour. The six approached, perfectly aware that Xani was still awake. As they did so, Xani saw that these darker-skinned trolls were more animalistic in behaviour compared to the troll which now lay unconscious. They continuously argued, pointing at their catch as if deciding which one was theirs.

Only one didn't argue, obviously the leader of the pack. The lead troll had a long, fresh looking, jagged scar running from almost at his nose down to just below the collarbone. Also, he wore various decorations, bracelets and chains and such, made of small bones. All of them were scarcely clad, sufficing with just cloth and leather bound around their wastes. Some had something akin to armour around their chests and shoulder, but it wouldn't stop much more than the claws of some local animal, which, Xani realized, was exactly what it was made to do. Almost all walked barefooted, only one having bound a cloth around his feet.

Xani desperately wished for Talgrun to step out of the bush right now, but he didn't. In absence of Talgrun, Xani did the only thing she could think of, and actually do, right now. She sat up straight and hid her right hand behind her back, pretending as if she had a dagger there.

The trolls approached to a distance that she could smell their foul stench, hygiene and clean words they had probably never heard of. The lead troll kicked at the wolf and then, when satisfied the wolf wouldn't wake up, said something to his companions. The other trolls laughed at the words while one licked his lips as if seeing something tasty in the wolf. The scarred troll said something about Shan'to, followed by more laughter from the rest, leading the troll to Xani.

"An' what be a pretty elf like yu doin' here?" The troll asked, to Xani's surprise, in broken night-elven. "I think you be desert dan." Followed by bellowing laughter from all six trolls. The lead was quickest to stop laughing and leaned closer to Xani. "An' what be dat you have dar, behind yo back?" Xani threatened to take out her nothingness, seemingly only amusing the troll. The troll leaned so close Xani could smell the troll's foul breath, and see in great detail the degenerative state of the troll's teeth and long tusks. "Why don' you jus' gimme the knife? I promise we'll kill yu before dinna'."

But then came what Xani had hoped for. "HEY!" Talgrun roared at the trolls. He shouted something in orcish, believing these trolls, as the trolls in the Horde, would understand the language. They didn't though. Talgrun stood at the very edge of the forest to Xani's right.

The lead troll leaned closer to Xani and asked. "Yo friend?" The troll than straightened up and turned to face Talgrun.

Noticing the trolls didn't understand orcish, but did speak night-elven, Talgrun switched languages. "Get out of here! NOW!" He drew his massive hammer and held it threateningly towards the trolls.

"Careful! They have poison dar--" She was cut of as the lead troll backhanded her across the face, drawing blood.

"Big guy speaks elf, eh? We'll fix dat!" And to his companions he shouted, "Three darts! I don' wan' him getting' up fo' a while."

And before Talgrun could make any mayor progress towards the trolls, a trio of darts had adhered themselves to his throat. To everybody's surprise, Talgrun didn't drop immediately. In fact, he didn't drop at all, he only wavered slightly. He pulled the darts from his neck and threw them to the ground. While the trolls still looked amazed at what the massive orc was accomplishing, Talgrun steadied himself, obviously at least a bit affected by the poison, and prepared to charge the trolls.

The lead troll was faster though and pulled a small axe from his belt and threw it towards Talgrun. Within the space of a single second, Talgrun stepped back once, followed by the axe hitting his face. As if in slow-motion, Xani saw some blood splatters when the axe impacted the right side of Talgrun's head. His head jerked backwards and his body toppled backwards into the bushes amongst which he had been standing, only a loud thud signalling his impact with the ground.

"Talgrun!" Xani shouted. But before she could say anything more, the scarred troll beat her across the mouth again, rattling her brain severely and drawing more blood. _No. . . _She thought beaten.


	29. Chapter 27: The Shadowtooth Tribe

**Chapter 27: The Shadowtooth Tribe**

_Talgrun!_ She screamed inwardly. Not caring whether the lead troll would hit her, again, she grabbed a rock from behind her back and threw with all the strength she could muster at the troll's face. Her aim was true, but the impact wasn't as hard as she had intended, if it had been, the troll's head would have exploded into bloody bits. Instead the rock only left a severe bruise on the troll's brow, and ignited the temper of the troll.

This time the scarred troll backhanded her without holding back. The impact send her falling to the side. She nearly blacked out from al the different sorts of pain she felt in her head, but managed to stay awake. Only barely she heard the lead troll whispering to her menacingly. "Perhaps he be main course! If he don' star' rottin' before we gets him to da village."

Now it was her turn to strike out with her hand, but she made sure every sharp edge on her nails dug deeply into the troll's face, knowing she wouldn't be able to do much with just a fist. Her nails left deep grooves on the troll's cheek and throat, thick skin scraped away. The troll backed up immediately and brought one hand up to the wounds. Thick, dark, blood slowly pumped out, seeping between the troll's long fingers.

He brought the hand to his mouth and licked the fingers, wiping them clean of blood, and then ignored the wounds. "A feisty one! Elves taste good, but feisty elves taste evan betta! I thinks you be makin' a good desert, for me alone!"

"Ah, Gar!" One of the others protested.

"Wha?! Yous got something to say?!" Xani could think of a lot of bad things about the troll she now knew was called Gar, but he did have fierce authority to him. She didn't care that much who'd eat her, or worse, so she tried to use the short distraction to get away, hoping her knowledge of stealth would help her hide if she managed to get further than five feet. Before she managed to get even two feet away a pair of strong hands grabbed her lower legs and pulled her back to Gar. "But till dinnar, me thinks you needs to sleep." Gar declared as he held up a dart in his hand, clearly intending to put her to sleep with them.

Before he could do so, though, a shout from one of the trolls got their attention, along with, "I don't think so!" from someone else.

* * *

The axe had nearly hit him full on in the face, but he had managed to jerk his head back just in time to prevent that. The axe still bit into his flesh and he could feel it grind along his skull, but that was all it did. One more bit of blood lost, and one more scar to add to his collection. Nevertheless, having survived the impact with an axe, the fall to the ground nearly did him in. He hit it head first, and almost broke his neck when nearly his full weight pressed upon his neck in an awkward way. For a moment everything was blurry around him. Fearing that the trolls would check whether he was really dead, he lay still for a moment faking death while trying to clear the blurriness. Upon succeeding at clearing the blurriness, he noticed the trolls had not come to check on him. He only heard them refer to him as 'main course'. 

Retrieving the axe originally meant for killing him, his mace wouldn't do him much good with what he would try to do, he got into a crouch and waited amongst the bushes for the opportune moment. When the moment came, Talgrun rushed from the bushes unseen and got behind the nearest troll. "But till dinnar, me thinks you needs to sleep." He heard the lead troll say. While the troll behind which he loomed was still unaware of him, he grabbed the troll by the throat and then swung the crudely made axe. The axe sliced through the pathetic armour leather armour the troll wore and dug into left side of the troll's chest. Missing the heart as Talgrun had intended.

Knowing how quickly trolls like these berserkers could regenerate, he intended to merely incapacitate the troll, leaving the troll incapable to defend himself. As the troll growled in pain, Talgrun roared at the lead troll, "I don't think so!"

The troll started chocking as Talgrun's thick left arm wrapped itself around the troll's neck, while he kept his grip on the axe with his right. All the other trolls turned almost as one and stared at him as if he had risen from the grave. Xani peeked around the lead troll's formidable body, bearing look of even greater surprise.

"Let's talk!" Talgrun roared at the scarred troll. _Because in a fight you'll just throw another axe. . . _The troll he was keeping in a stranglehold tried to pry the arm that was wrapped around his throat loose, but failed miserably, lacking the strength to do so even though he used both arms.

"Yu think, holding dat one makes me wanna talk to you?" The lead troll replied, grinning wide. "I don' care about 'im!"

Noticing there was another troll within three feet, he let go of the injured troll and with one giant step had come near enough to the second, baffled, troll to grab his throat and turn him in between the Talgrun and the lead troll. It had all happened within just a single second. "Care about this one?" Talgrun asked as the injured troll, now without anyone holding him up, collapsed to the ground.

"Okay! Let's talk!" The lead troll gave in.

"Gar!" One of the others warned, obviously not agreeing.

"Before, he be puttin' da whole group down!" Gar snapped at the other troll. Gar then turned to Talgrun, bearing a fake smile. "Wha chu wanna talk about? Dinna? I got's a great catch of food."

Talgrun had an idea that might get him, Xani and the rest out of this situation alive. The only problem was that, besides that it might fail, if he succeeded he'd be helping these trolls out as well. "What tribe are you from, Gar?"

Gar looked pensively, not having expected the question, but then answered without further hesitation. "I be of the Shadowtooth tribe!" He answered proudly.

"And has the Shadowtooth tribe had any problems with demons, lately?" Everything hinged on that. If they had, he could exploit it.

This time the answer came without any hesitation, but sounded more suspicious than before. "We have." Gar absently ran a finger along the long scar on his face and neck. Talgrun concluded it was the work of a demon. "They attacked ma village, But we beat 'em back easy!" Gar received backing from the other trolls on that, even the one Talgrun was now holding in a stranglehold.

Talgrun thanked the various deities that watched over the many races, for one of them must have granted him this small victory. He was disturbed from his thanks when the troll he held in a stranglehold sought to escape his grasp by kicking backwards, in between Talgrun's legs. Yet he didn't feel much of it. Instead, the troll only briefly growled in pain. "It's called armour, that's why it's there!" He whispered menacingly to the troll while tightening his grip on the troll's throat. And of Gar he asked as if nothing had happened, "So you fight the demons as well?"

"Yeah. . . When we need to."

"Would it surprise you if I told you that my own race, the night-elves and many others are also fighting the demons?"

"Nah."

"Together."

"Yeah." Gar replied bluntly, this time looking unsure if he should belief it. "So?"

"The demons have an incredibly vast army."

But before he could say more, Gar interrupted. "We knows, and I see wa this be goin'! Yus wan' us to let yus go so yu can make an 'alliance'. 'cept yu'll be escapin'. Dat aint gonna work, big guy."

Talgrun had not credited this bunch of primitive trolls with the intelligence to recognise such plots, even though they were actually wrong now. Talgrun truly intended to organise such an alliance, even if it only lasted as long as the current struggle with the legion. He didn't care one bit about what would happen to the 'Shadowtooth tribe' afterwards.

"I am serious!"

At least Gar seemed to be genuinely considering the possibility, the rest of the trolls only wanted to discourage him from it though. "Don' fall for it!" One urged, backed by the others, those not held in a stranglehold or trying to pry an axe from their chest.

Finally Gar seemed to have made up his mind. "Even if we be gonna have an_alliance_, I think them elves be more interested in huntin' us down than honouring' such a thing. They be turnin' on us the moment we'd be showin' our hides. As they been doin' the last thousand years!" _Well maybe your people did something to them to make them so adamant about hunting you all down. _He didn't say so though. Gar snorted and then said, "Agh, this not be somethin' for me to decide anyway!"

One of the others quickly realized what Gar intended and evidently didn't like it. "Yu, not be takin them to da village! Thems'll be gettin' others to attack!"

"Dat not be yur decision!" Gar roared back at the defiant troll standing a short distance away from Gar. "We be takin' 'em to da chief, he'll decide what be needed!"

But again the defiant troll felt the need to interrupt. "NO! I not be lettin' yus do dis! Them will only be trouble!"

"FINE!" But instead of revising his decision, Gar pulled a new axe from his belt and flung it at the troublesome troll. A sickening crack echoed across the small clearing for a second when the axe made contact with the defiant troll's skull. The force of the impact was enough to make one part of the troll's face come loose and arc away from the head. A second later the troll's face had been reduced to a gory pulp with bits of bone sticking out, various important organs that lay underneath the bone exposed. A brief, gurgled, roar bespoke of the stricken troll's agony. Yet the body did not immediately sag to the ground. The troll's inherent hardiness allowed him to stumble a few steps before actually dying. But die he did eventually, axe still adhered to the head. Upon removing his axe from the head, Gar said to Talgrun, "Yus better be worth dis trouble!"

Talgrun was amazed at not only Gar's quick and deadly aim, but also that this Shadowtooth tribe had not fallen to massive infighting before. He quickly recovered from his amazement and said to Gar, "Than we'll go to your village?"

"Yeah. . ." Gar replied as if regretting it already. "Would you release ma man dan?" the scarred troll gestured at the one Talgrun was holding.

Half expecting Gar to pull out another axe and throw it at him, not honouring the agreement, Talgrun released the troll he had been holding. Gar did not throw any axes though, to Talgrun's relief. The now free troll quickly scurried away from Talgrun and rubbed his neck, looking fiercely towards Talgrun as he did so. For a moment it looked as if this troll would do what Gar hadn't, but a quick look at the newly dead troll combined with a harsh look from Gar discouraged him from doing so.

"Stick 'em" Gar then blurted at the other trolls. Those trolls immediately scurried towards Shan'to, Sasha and the stricken dwarf now bearing needle-like points in their hands. Apparently Gar noticed the somewhat concerned look on Talgrun's face, for he said, "It'll make 'em wake, mon, don' worry."

And it did make them wake up. Shan'to did so with a start as she stared into the face of one of the dark trolls, but upon realizing there was not much to fear, at least for the moment, she eased up and waited. Sasha was a bit more troublesome. Upon waking, she immediately bowled over two of the trolls and was almost at one's throat when Talgrun called out to her to stop. Almost reluctantly Sasha withdrew from the troll she had been about to decapitate and slowly strode towards Talgrun, taking her place at his side as she almost always did unless he told her otherwise. The dwarf was the least troublesome, but the most surprising. Upon waking, the dwarf immediately got up and went back to sitting upon his rock, to once more stare endlessly ahead of him. The two trolls responsible for waking him had looked at each other as if just having seen something ridiculous.

"Wa is wrong with dat one?" Gar asked of Talgrun as he walked up to the latter. Sasha growled lightly towards the lead troll, but did not do anything else.

"I really don't know, he's been like that since the crash. . ."

"Crash?"

"What did you think happened here?!" He gestured at the wreckage.

"Right. . ."

"I think it might be easier to put him to sleep again and carry him."

"Or just leave 'im here. . ." Gar suggested, but upon a glare from Talgrun added, "Fine. . ." But this time without the fatal effects of last time. Gar went to organise who'd carry the dwarf and then went on to the troll who was still trying to pry the axe from his chest.

"I'm not happy with this. . ." Xani mentioned as Talgrun approached.

"You'd rather be dragged to their village while unconscious?" Xani pursed her lips in thought. "So you could become. . . Desert?"

"Okay, okay! Please don't remind me of that."

With a fake menacing tone he replied. "I'm sure I will." Xani couldn't help but chuckle, doubting she'd be irritated with him if he did so, assuming they got out of the situation without Xani needing to part with any limbs.

"Do you need that taken care of?" She pointed at the gash on his forehead.

Reaching up to touch it, he found it actually bled quite a bit, but it was nothing he couldn't readily life with. Thus, as he shook his head, he said, "Nah, I'll be fine." He doubted she'd be able to do anything in her current state anyway.

"Excuse me. . ." Shan'to interrupted, speaking orcish. "But what the hell is going on?!"

* * *

"So le' me get this straight. . . You wan' us to help a people dat would gladly be huntin' us down afterwards?" The Shadowtooth chief replied to Talgrun's proposal, after having been astounded that the 'big guy' as Gar had coined Talgrun, spoke night-elven. The trek to the Shadowtooth village had been utterly uneventful. "That jus' seems. . . Stupid? Foolish?" 

"But the demons have such a--"

"Yu've explained in far to much detail them vastness, I got _dat_point." The '_negotiations_' went in that same manner for the rest of the day. And much of the next day as well. The Shadowtooth chief was more headstrong than Gar was, but not quite as much as the one Gar killed.

In the end it was only because Talgrun, Xani and Shan'to were willing to back up the statement that the Shadowtooth would not be harmed for at least several years after the conflict, should they be victorious, that they managed to convince the chief to at least seriously consider it. Shan'to had made that pledge in her own troll language, which was made particularly hard because her trollish had grown to be signifacantly different than that of the Shadowtooth because of thousands of years of seperation from one another. Small miracle they managed to communicate.

"You think they'll accept the proposal?" Shan'to asked when they had been brought to their temporary housing. It was more of a glorified cage, in that it had a piece of cloth draped over it to shield from the rain, than anything else, but at least it protected them from possibly hungry Shadowtooth trolls. The cage was locked, and Gar held the key. At least Gar seemed, by now, to be supportive of a temporary alliance. _But then again, Gar seems to be one of the few vaguely intellectual Shadowtooth trolls. Most of them only care about food and staying alive. . . _Was one of Talgrun's thoughts as he considered Shan'to's question.

"I really don't know. . . But at least they are considering it, which is definitely better than yesterday. Then they just seemed to be sizing us up for their meals, how large the fire would have to be to grill us."

"Well, at least there is progress, then." For a while it remained silent, but the young troll remarked, "I don't know about you two, but I'm going to try and get some sleep before you do. If you fall asleep before I do, I won't be ever be able to get some sleep. . . You snore." Shan'to rolled over in an attempt to sleep.

"I don't snore. . ." Talgrun replied dryly.

"Yes, you do. . ." Once more she rolled over to try and sleep. Darkness had already fallen, although darkness seemed to come a great deal sooner in this part of Ashenvale. _Is this even still Ashenvale? _

But before he would ask Xani a question to find out, he asked her, "I don't snore, do I?"

She looked up at him, disturbed from her deep thoughts. Over the past day she had recovered enough to use her own priestly gifts on herself and Shan'to. As a result, both were now in peak condition again. "A little bit. . ." She replied after a few moments of thought. To his question whether this was still Ashenvale, she replied it wasn't, that they were now in a region called Hyjal, most likely named after mount Hyjal. But as she said so, she appeared to be strangely distracted. He'd be surprised if she recalled a few minutes later what he had asked her.

"What is it?" His voice now down to a whisper to not disturb the now sleeping troll.

After a while Xani replied equally soft, "I feel like I'm back in the Barrens again. . . Imprisoned by the centaur." Written plainly on her face were the feelings from those days.

Not knowing what to say, Talgrun only put a comforting hand on her shoulder for a moment. Xani only barely reacted to the touch, mostly just continuing to stare at the bars.

That night Xani would barely get any sleep, unlike Talgrun, who did get his share of it. He'd be the one needing it though, for the next day he'd be confronted with the Shadowtooth chief's decision.

* * *

"Before I says we'll be doin' what we can. . ." The Shadowtooth chief started his verdict. 

"So you'll do it?" Talgrun intervened.

"If yu can answer ma question." Talgrun just gestured that the troll could ask whatever it was he wanted to ask. "Wa is yo name?" Talgrun have must visibly looked surprised that they'd only ask that now, for the Shadowtooth chief said, "So I knows whom to hunt down if it be goin' bad." A wide grin spread across the troll's face.

After only a moment's hesitation, what else could he do then just answer the question, he answered. "Talgrun. . ."

"Right!" The Shadowtooth exclaimed. "Gar!" Gar immediately stepped forward. "Yu will lead our people to battle!"

Gar saluted gratefully, in his own way, but then asked, "Not yu?"

"Ma days of fightin' are ovar. Yu'll be good 'nough." The Shadowtooth chief indeed looked unfit for any physical combat, which had surprised Talgrun from the moment he had laid eyes on the elder troll. He had expected the trolls to discard their leader if he showed weakness in favour of a more youthful one. This one did show signs of weakness, very much so. The troll had trouble just walking and leaned on a sort of cane to do so. Thus it was only logical the chief had something to more than compensate for his physical weakness. Powerful magical abilities was one explanation.

Gar only saluted respectfully again in response to the Chief's decision. The elder troll strained to get up and left them, two others gently supporting him. For a moment it remained quiet, but then Talgrun turned to Gar and asked, "So just how many people can you spare for this alliance."

"I don' know exactly, it'll be takin' a few days to gather all. We be livin' spread out."

* * *

The following days were spend waiting for the Shadowtooths to gather, which took longer than Talgrun had expected. It seemed there were a great deal more of them than Talgrun had at first expected from seeing the first village. Already one day had passed and warriors from a few different villages had arrived. 

In those days live was made a considerable amount easier for the four captives. They went from their glorified cage to a tent set up just for them, one without bars surrounding it. Dining with the Shadowtooth chief became a requirement, the chief arguing that it was a sort of ritual for the leaders of different tribes to do so. At first they had eyed the food they got in front of them with suspicion, recalling what the trolls had in store for them before they became negotiators. Only when the elder troll assured them that it was only fruit and local wildlife did they actually eat it.

They were offered all sorts of privileges and services normally reserved for chiefs from other tribes, as Gar had explained to them on one occasion. They had just returned to their tent from one of those privileges, smoking some sort of pipe with all sorts of different herbs in it, when they found something different then they had left it.

The dwarf reacted to their entrance.

Reacted wildly.

"What the hell!?" He screamed as they entered. Apparently the dwarf had been trying to discover where he was, for he had been rummaging through the various stuff the rest of them had received from the Shadowtooth. Xani had carefully kept the dwarf alive for the past days by means feeding him sustenance, apparently there had been enough mind left in the dwarf at that time to swallow.

Shan'to and Xani immediately backed of, incapable of dealing with a dwarf. "Easy!" Talgrun urged the dwarf in common.

The dwarf looked at him completely lost, completely surprised and completely confused. There was a hint of recognition in the dwarf's face though. The dwarf had of course seen Talgrun on the zeppelin, and perhaps had known of him before that. This time softer, the dwarf asked, "What is going on? Where am I?"

"What is the last thing you remember?"

The dwarf thought hard for a moment and then answered with, "Crashing with the zeppelin. . . We survived that?"

"Yes_we_ did. No one else. Besides one wolf." The dwarf looked a bit more troubled at that, but otherwise remained just as confused as before. Talgrun explained the whole thing, including how the dwarf, who said he was named 'Bor', had remained virtually motionless for several days. After a brief introduction of Xani and Shan'to, Bor had remained quiet while they waited for the Shadowtooth to gather.

* * *

Two days later the moment had come that all the capable Shadowtooth had gathered. And indeed there were a great deal more than Talgrun had ever expected. Together with Gar they stood on a high ridge overlooking the part of the forest where all the Shadowtooth warriors were camped. At some places one could see through the tree canopies to see the many, many trolls below. "This is more than I ever expected!" Talgrun said to Gar. 

"So yu think this be 'nough?"

"I think this will be enough to make quite a difference." Gar nodded his understanding "How did you gather all of these so fast?" _And without infighting. . ._

"I did nothin'. I jus' called for them willin' to fight to gather 'ere as quick as possible. We Shadowtooth always eager fo' fightin'." Talgrun continued to be quite amazed at the Shadowtooth's accomplishment, he found it doubtful even the Horde would be able to so quickly gather this many warriors from many different villages. "So wha' we do first? We first talk to yo leaders?"

Talgrun shook his head. "Nah, we'd only be losing valuable time if talk first and then return to get these warriors. We move them all out today."

"Where?"

After a brief moment of consideration, Talgrun answered, "Hyjal, we go to Hyjal. I suspect that by now the Horde and Alliance forces will have arrived there. The demons won't be far behind."

"Ah, them demons want dat tree." Gar pointed of into the distance, to the north. From where they stood, the World Tree could be seen on a clear day. Most of the time, including today, mist enshrouded the peak upon which the tree stood. "If they get dat tree, they get to powerful." The scarred troll said, restating what Talgrun had told the Shadowtooth chief during the negotiations.

"Yes."

Behind the discussing pair stood Xani. The past few days she had felt quite useless, as she imagined Shan'to did as well. Beyond the small bit of healing she had done since recovering enough to do so, there hadn't been much she had done. The two of them, and now the dwarf as well, had mostly let things be handled by Talgrun, who had both necessary skills to perform the negotiations along with the rank to back it up later when confronting the leaders of the Horde, Alliance and night-elves.

She hadn't really paid attention to the two discussing in front of her, so she was quite surprised when Talgrun turned around and announced, "We move out. . . Now."

* * *

A/N: The Shadowtooth Tribe are an actual part of the game. If you want, look for them in the last mission of the night-elven campaign. 


	30. Chapter 28: Mount Hyjal

By now I think Talgrun and Xani have had quite a bit of attention. . . So I think it's about time for the other characters to get a bit of attention. This new period (yes, the battle for Mount Hyjal is gonna take a while), will give me a good oppertunity to give 'em a bit of attention. :)

* * *

**Chapter 28: Mount Hyjal**

Early - Day 1

Collaboration between the different factions was hard. Especially so since the only place where everybody could understand each other, through magical means, was a small grove near the peak of Mount Hyjal. This grove was continuously inhabited by various high ranking leaders. But since William was not ranking high enough for such and since bodyguards were no longer needed with a permanent contingent stationed around the grove, William was back on the front lines. While the grove was the only place where _everybody_ could understand each other, those who spoke multiple languages were still very highly valued, which included William.

This very quality of his had been the reason for his new command. A field promotion to captain gave him the necessary stripes to command his own regiment numbering two hundred soldiers. The fact that he had a regiment wasn't anything extraordinary, it was what the regiment was made out of that made it special. It consisted of a mix of Alliance and Horde soldiers. Of course in the recent past the Alliance and the Horde had fought together, but hadn't gone as far making combined regiments. His was the fist amongst several that would be on the frontline. Utilizing his new rank he had managed to get several requests fulfilled.

The first was Björn also became part of the regiment, despites him only speaking common and, less importantly to the current situation, dwarven. Most in the regiment had to at least be able to speak with those of the other factions. The second was Walken would also become part of the regiment. The transfer of the tauren was slightly less troublesome, since Walken spoke tauren and orcish. Not all tauren spoke orcish, so Walken was valued in that regard.

The night-elven leaders had insisted that there'd be a few of their soldiers amongst the mixed regiments as well, even though communication with those would be limited to basic hand signals. As such William's regiment contained several elves, who mostly kept to what they did best, shooting from afar with their expertly crafted bows.

The command group had formed a plan to rid the world of the Legion, at least for a while. It was risky since it involved giving the Legion exactly what they wanted, the World Tree, but only after a trap had been laid. The one called Malfurion Stormrage would organise the trap by means of readying the very forces of nature all around the World Tree. The theory was that the Legion's leader, Archimonde, would want to usurp the power of the world tree personally. The trap was planned to take him out in one big blast, taking most of the other demons out as well. The rest could be dealt with readily if the Legion's leadership on this world collapsed.

The problem with the plan was not that the trap might not kill Archimonde, for it would most certainly do that, at least according to Malfurion. It was that it would take a great deal of time to prepare the trap. Best case scenario was one week, worst case one month or more. William knew well enough that they could never hold one month, no matter how many tropps they had, half that would already be extremely difficult. They might have the high ground, but there just wasn't a lot of room to manoeuvre on the mountain, along with the fact if they did get driven back at one point, there'd be very little room for retreat.

There was only one viable way of getting sufficient troops up the mountain, not mention the rather large Archimonde himself, to assault the World Tree, which was right now being fortified: the main passage as those in command had started calling it to avoid confusion. There were numerous passages that went around the main passage, but these were narrow, often going through extremely narrow canyons with steep edges. It would be impossible to transport a lot of troops through them, but the Legion could still use them drop small strike forces behind the main force of the defenders. At the moment they were holding the demons of at the base of the mountain, just in front of the main passage, where the convoy had only just passed by. The convoy had arrived slightly behind schedule, but had remained virtually untouched. Only a few times had the demons probed the convoy's defences, which had proven more than sufficient. The convoy would need some time to get to the first tier of defences.

The command group had decided upon a tiered defence. The mountain had been roughly divided into three sections. The bottom part was mostly defended by the Alliance, who were the fastest at creating a solid defence. Utilizing both magic and traditional methods, sturdy stone towers and walls were quickly being constructed in strategic locations, while siege equipment was being set up as well.

The second tier was mostly covered by the Horde, whom were not as adapt at quickly constructing a defence that would last, but were setting up their own traps. The last section belonged to the elves. It was the most logical to leave the top of the mountain to them, since they were the ones laying the trap at the summit.

While the Alliance might hold the lower part of the mountain, that didn't mean the others were only worrying about building up their own defences. The vast majority of the Horde and night-elven armies backed up the lower lying defences.

Although now the Legion's attacks were still fairly small, it was already beginning to wear the current defenders down. The attacking forces were mostly made up of undead. At the moment William's regiment along with a few others from all factions were blocking the main passage from the Legion. Already reinforcements should have arrived some time ago from the Alliance, but none had.

He surveyed the battle, looking for any weaknesses in his defence where he might need to order some soldiers around in order to strengthen it, or head down there himself to strengthen it personally. He'd rather do the latter, himself. Hanging back to command had never been his thing, but he new the pool of available officers who were sufficiently skilled at it was shrinking, so he continued to do his job. Most of the time at least. His armour already showed a few stains of blood, undead blood, demon blood.

Time past by and the reinforcements didn't come. The Legion attacked in waves, in between two of which they ate something around midday. And still the reinforcements hadn't come. _What are they doing out there, waiting for the moment they'd get the best dramatic effect?!_

As he once more surveyed the battle, his eyes turned to his left, to the south. The main passage itself was mainly clear of forest, while all around it were thick forests in which fighting would be greatly hampered, even the demons seemed to realize that and thus barely made any use of the cover it granted them. Maybe it was his eyes betraying him, but he swore he saw something, a small spot that shouldn't be there, at the edge of the forest.

After a quick look at his regiment he saw it still held more than adequately, and then called to one of his two lieutenants. "Jericho!" The other lieutenant was a field promoted Björn. He got the young human's attention immediately, the man always followed his orders exactly to the letter. "Binoculars!" Jericho quickly fumbled around in his backpack and pulled from it the simple looking device the gnomes had crafted. Careless that it was a fragile bit of equipment, Jericho threw it towards William, who caught it, although he had to lean forward in the saddle to do so.

Jericho was very young, but capable officer. Before the war he had been studying to be a linguist. He was fluent in common, as his native language, orcish, dwarven, and troll. During the war he had enlisted and had put his wit to good use in tactical situations, causing his quick rise to the rank of lieutenant within just a few months.

Peering through the binoculars, the edge of the forest became magnified several times. The spot came into view, also magnified but still small, as he tried to steady the binoculars. Before the spot could be identified, it vanished into the forest. He had barely had the time to see the spot had been a combination of red and green. Whether it was his imagination playing tricks on him, he couldn't tell, but he thought he also saw dark shapes moving around within the forest. _What is going on out there?_

The possibility that those were the reinforcements meant for his troops was extremely unlikely. Where the spot had appeared had been at the edge of the forest far behind the Legion's lines. If any of their troops appeared from the forest there, they'd run straight into the Legion's right flank. _Or perhaps that is their plan. . . Or perhaps it was just a figment of my imagination._

As the spot didn't return and he couldn't see anything else out there of interest, he went back to commanding his forces. Several soldiers screamed in pain suddenly. Looking closely at those stricken, William saw magic must be the source of their agony. Their bodies were being contorted as if they were a wet cloth that was being squeezed dry of fluid. The jerking of their bodies betrayed bones breaking. The stricken soldiers quickly ceased their screaming, but even then the contorting continued until they had spun around several times.

_Eredar!_They were both the Legion's sorcerers and their commanders in the field. And they had a taste for horrific displays such as this, as did all demons for that matter. William rode his horse closer to a small group standing not to far from him. His own magic users. Most were healers who were always busy patching people up, but two, one a mage and the other a shaman, were the ones he needed. But they knew what he was going to say before he said it, "Eredar, we're at it!" Said the mage as he pointed towards the middle of the Legion's ranks. There an explosion rocked the demons. "Minus one. . ." The mage grinned wide.

The shaman, who never seemed to get of his snow-white wolf, did his own bit of damage. His eyes closed as he seemed to go into a trance. In front of the shaman appeared out of thin air a pair of semitransparent shapes, wolves. As the shaman's eyes fluttered open again, the wolves sped of into the Legion's ranks, going through the demons as if they weren't even there. Those demons were not affected at all, besides being surprised something had just run through them. The wolves chased something. "They shall chase the eredar wherever they can find them." The orc explained.

William nodded and went back to his own position. Again he tried looking through his binoculars to edge of the forest to the south. Sure enough the spot had appeared again. This time he had enough time to confirm his suspicions. There was definitely an orc out there clad in red armour. The figure was to small for him to recognise, but he did see other figures around the orc. Mostly dark coloured ones. William's right eyebrow went up in a questioning way while he still looked through the binoculars. No matter how he strained, he couldn't see the figured clear enough to see anything special.

He lowered the binoculars and looked to the small group of veteran night-elven archers not to far way. They were mostly women, which had surprised him at first, but then he found out that most of the military positions were covered by women in night-elven society. Even then he had still been a bit surprised, but he had no longer cared what gender they were upon seeing their skills with their bows. Several of the elves seemed to have noticed the same thing as him though. And they had seen he had as well, pointing at the spot and nodding curtly to him. William raised his binoculars as indication of how he'd seen them, even though they might not know what it was he held.

_I wish Talgrun were here. _He thought not for the first time, not because they had known each other for many years, but because of the orc's abilities. Particularly his ability to speak night-elven, which would come in very handy right now. But the veteran orc hadn't returned from his errand. It had been confirmed that the message had been delivered and the commander of Dragonmaw outpost had confirmed that Talgrun along with his fellow messenger Xani had taken the zeppelin, which was there for loading and unloading, to the north. Since then they hadn't been seen. Aerial scouts had discovered the zeppelin' crash site, but no survivors had been found, but neither had Talgrun's body been found.

Thinking of the veteran orc, he tried to recall the last William had seen of him. He summoned up a picture of Talgrun riding of alongside Xani upon their wolves to deliver their individual messages. Talgrun had worn his by then usual red armour. _Red armour? Red and green figure? That would be just like him to be out there. _

"Need help?" came an orcish voice from behind him, startling him from his thoughts. Turning around he saw it was Kargagtha. Through Talgrun they had come to know each other's names.

"What are you doing down here?! You're supposed to be up there with your trainees." He looked past Kargatha and saw there were about two hundred soldiers with her as well, all orcs.

"This is a training exercise. . ." She grinned wide. "Besides, I noticed nobody had gone to reinforce you in the middle of all the trouble up their, so. . ."

"What?! What happened up there?"

"A large group of undead, lead by some demons, took a side passage and attacked the main Alliance defence from behind. They're beaten back now and the passage is being guarded as are all others that have been discovered." She paused for a while, waiting for more questions, but when none came, "Still need help?"

"Yes! Yes indeed. We've been at it since before sunrise. We've taken the most losses there." He pointed at a point to the southwest. "They seem intent on breaking through there."

"Then that is where we shall hold them!" She roared, more to her soldiers than to him. The trainees roared a response and under the direction of several amongst them started towards the weak point. Kargagtha remained where she was for the moment though, watching her trainees covering the weak spot almost as if they had done it a hundred times before.

"So how did the training go while the convoy was on the move?" He asked, letting his true meaning, whether the trainees were prepared enough, shine through in his expression. Only after did he realize that an orc, not as familiar with a human's face as a human was, might not pick up the true meaning.

She did though. "They'll do fine. We've had two occasions to actually fight. We're better prepared now than we were back in the Barrens!"

William raised his gloved hands, resting his case. "I believe you. . ."

"Now, you know where I'll be." She muttered and then raced down to the front where her trainees were battling the Legion.

Confident that she'd be able to hold that part of the line at least for a while, while keeping her trainees in check, he surveyed the rest of his regiment, or what remained of it by now. Having fought as long as they had that day, quite a few had already fallen. Confident they'd hold, he once more looked through the binoculars at where the spot, which might be Talgrun, had been, but now couldn't find it anymore. Instead he found a much stockier figure. If he had to guess, he would have guessed it to be a dwarf like Björn. Next to the dwarf appeared two other figures, one very tall and clad in dark blue with purple skin and green hair. _A night-elf? _The one next to it was less clear. From this distance it looked like it might be another night-elf, although it was at least one feet shorter. It all puzzled him greatly. But more and more it seemed like something Talgrun would accomplish.

Then the red and green figure appeared, this time mounted on what he could recognise as a large grey/black wolf used by orcs for riding. This also fit into the image William had summoned up previously, the grey/black wolf. More figures appeared. All of these about the night-elves' height, as well as dark-skinned like the elf. But they were far wider and muscular than any elf William had seen. More and more seemed to appear from the forest until, if they had lined up along side the demons rushing to the defenders, they would cover the Legion's entire flank.

He focused upon the orc again and saw the figure had drawn a massive war hammer. _Definitely Talgrun! Looks like he brought visitors. _He turned to the night-elves in his regiment and urged them to look in the same direction. "Look!" That particular word they had heard often enough to know what it meant. They looked and then looked to William, puzzled. He made hand signals to them to not shoot at the new arrivals, who seemingly still hadn't been noticed by the Legion.

Looking again through the binoculars, he saw one of the dark-skinned figures next to Talgrun had raised his right arm. Visibly the entire line of dark-skinned figures tensed, waiting for the signal.

Even though the constant screaming of dying soldiers and demons echoed through the air accompanied by sounds of gunshots and explosions from spells, He could still hear a large number of horns blowing at the same time. The sound of the horns died away and was followed by a massive roar as the thousands of dark-skinned figures roared their warcries simultaneously. Now he didn't need binoculars anymore to see the figures, for they now rushed from the forest, followed by dozens of waves of equally many figures.

For a moment chaos seemed to erupt amongst the Legion, beyond their already chaotic nature. But despite the chaos, the various leaders amongst them got something that resembled a defensive line up before the figures would have crashed into the Legion. Before the lines met, something strange seemed to happen. Even from this distance William could see the front rows of the Legion suddenly collapse as if archers had fired upon them, but he hadn't seen any large scale volleys of arrows, he hadn't even seen a single one. Quickly binging the binoculars back up, he saw the dark-skinned figures were throwing something that William could only conclude were axes. The axes did as good a job as any arrow could. They ripped away at the front lines of the demons and undead, ravaging their bodies into submission before the figures had even arrived to do battle up close. After throwing their axes, they switched to larger axes meant for melee combat.

Hundreds of felguards, the legions main ten foot tall foot soldier, fell just as quickly to the axes as the undead ghouls did. Even the few doomguards fell quickly. The massive roar of warcries never diminished, even when the lines of mysterious attackers had crashed into the demons and undead. Well, they didn't really crash into the Legion. They completely crushed the demons and the those behind as well. Only several dozen feet deep into the Legion's lines did their momentum slow.

Looking through his binoculars at the attacking figures closer to him, he saw they looked like trolls, except far more muscular and of course dark-skinned. But beyond that, their way of fighting, their posture, and their various other physical similarities were pretty much identical to that of the trolls William had seen.

Pushing his amazement away, William started to spread orders to adjust to the new arrivals. But he might as well have done nothing. Not because of any ineffectiveness of his orders, but because the Legion retreated. To his amazement they retreated. Only those currently engaged in some battle remained where they were, the rest tried to pull out as quickly as they could.

He quickly passed out orders to not chase the Legion, as he imagined some would be inclined to do with the Legion on the run like this. Within minutes the field was clear of demons and undead, living ones at least. The ground remained covered in bodies. The dark trolls trudged amongst the bodies to search for those still alive, decapitating those they found to still be a threat. They kept a distance of some hundred feet from the defenders lines, seemingly uncertain what to do about those. The defenders did the same, although the night-elves not far from William seemed to not like the situation. William recalled historic animosities between trolls and elves in the lands across the ocean, perhaps something similar reigned here.

The dark trolls parted to let a small group pass. William immediately rode to the front, followed by Björn, Jericho and the officers of the other regiments, to meet what would most likely be the leaders of the trolls. The group came forth from the dark trolls' ranks. William was not completely surprised to find Talgrun riding amongst them, the night-elf he had seen standing at the edge of the forest, whom he now recognised as the one called Xani, sat behind him on the mount as well. Alongside them walked a scarred looking dark troll whom William thought might be the one he saw ordering the Dark trolls into the fight, as well as the dwarf and a female troll of a lighter blue colour, something quite odd to see in this vast all-male force of trolls.

"It's Talgrun!" Kargagtha exclaimed when William rode up next to her.

"You know them?" One of the other captains asked William.

"I know _him_." He gestured towards Talgrun. Walken pushed towards them as he to had recognised a friend thought dead.

"You can handle it then. . ." The same captain said, receiving nods from the others. They then turned and started to take care of their regiments, making sure the wounded got help and such.

Talgrun and Xani were whispering something to one another as they bridged the gap between the dark trolls and the defenders. Xani pointed towards William and Talgrun nodded. Talgrun then leaned towards the dark troll walking besides them and said something to the scarred troll.

"I hope we didn't miss anything. . ." Talgrun said when they had approached each other sufficiently. William had ridden out to meet his old friend, followed by Björn and Walken. Jericho had remained behind to organise the regiment.

"Not much. . . This was their first serious attack." William replied. An awkward silence followed in which William couldn't help but eye the scarred dark troll. The troll was doing the same in return, but seemed more interested in the massive Walken who towered behind William, even though William was mounted on a horse. "Where did all of these come from? And more importantly, why are they here?"

"Short version, we sort of crashed our zeppelin in their backyard. We then convinced them it would be better for all of us if they joined in the defence."

"Great!" He couldn't help but exclaim. The dark troll at Talgrun's said something to the larger orc. It sounded like a distorted version of night-elven to William. "What did he say?"

"He wants to know where his people can rest, they've got a long march across uneven terrain behind them."

"Just have them--"

Without his notice the night-elven archers had come up beside him and their leader had shouted something at the dark troll leader, whom now bristled with anger. Talgrun quickly intervened, drawing a short surprised look from the night-elves, but the elves remained adamant about something, most likely the fact that the trolls were beasts. At least that was how the elves on the other side of the ocean thought of the trolls there. The scarred troll roared his response, angering the elves further. Talgrun tried once more to calm matters, but it wasn't him who finally managed to calm matters down. It was the young Xani behind him, who expressed her authority as what he knew was a priestess of Elune. The elven archers visibly relaxed, while Talgrun calmed the troll down.

"Just have them wait over there. . ." He said, saying what he had been meaning to say before, and then gestured towards an area behind the defenders' lines where there was sufficient room.

Talgrun relayed the message to the troll, whom was still looking angrily towards the night-elves besides William. The troll followed the directions though without anymore incident with the elves. Not long after the complete force of dark trolls was resting behind their lines. A messenger was quickly send out to main Alliance defence to tell of the new arrivals.

The arrival of the trolls had apparently forced the Legion to regroup, for the rest of the day the Legion was nowhere near the front line. William made good use of that time by trying to get to know as much as he could of what happened after Talgrun and Xani had gotten onto the zeppelin, before the command group came to do the same.

"I knew it wasn't a mistake to make you into the new champion. . ." Thrall said after the Shadowtooth trolls had been accepted into the alliance. "But I had never imagined you would actually bring more people into the alliance!"

The Shadowtooth forces were put under the direct command of the Horde, for the trolls amongst the Horde could still, with a few of adjustments, communicate with the dark trolls, who after all did still speak a dialect of troll. The night-elves wouldn't want to have anything to do with them anyway, and the Alliance wouldn't be able to communicate with them so the Horde had been the logical choice. "We'll be doin' wha' we can!" Gar had said as way of response to the official acceptance of his forces. With only a few night-elves as real opposition to their acceptance, who had been quickly swayed by Malfurion Stormrage's influence, it had been successfully completed by the end of the day.

After a short farewell, Shan'to had gone of to meet her new unit, while the dwarf, Bor, had done the same without so much of a farewell. Xani and Talgrun were walking away from the finished meeting of the command group, the part of the meeting that included them at least. The meeting never truly ended. There was always at least a dozen officers in the small magically enchanted grove creating all sorts of strategic scenarios.

From out of the shadows stepped an officer whom had not been present at the meeting. "Commander!" Xani quickly saluted as she recognised the always sombre looking Kaylin. Except now the old commander looked slightly less sombre than she normally did.

"Priestess. . ." Her gaze shifted to Talgrun. "Uhm. . . Champion. . ." Since leaving with their individual messages, they had not seen Kaylin, not even after they had returned with the new allies. "I have news that concerns _you_." She tilted her head into Xani's direction. "The Silverblades are being reformed under my command from the remainders of various other decimated regiments." It had been long time since Xani had heard the name of her old regiment. "I am still short on spellcasters, so I'm going to have to _request_ that you once more join the Silverblades."

"Request?" Xani blurted. Xani couldn't remember a time when she had been with the night-elven military as a priestess that she hadn't been under Kaylin's command.

"Since you were relieved of your then current duties by the revered high priestess to deliver the message to the front lines and therefore were taken away from my command, and since you are a priestess, I can only request such a thing. . ." Xani was about to say yes when Kaylin stopped her with a raised hand. "I have other news that may affect your decision. . ." Kaylin being several dozen times older than Xani, the latter immediately clamped her mouth shut in respect. "You may step forward captain. . ." Kaylin said as she half turned to look at someone behind her, hidden in the shadows of a large tree.

To Talgrun it seemed to be a male, albeit older, replica of several of Xani's features, chief amongst them the green hair. To Xani it was someone she had, until lately, not thought of, but had been on her mind almost constantly the last few days. Him and one other, who was this one's counterpart. "Dad?!" Xani couldn't help but blurt.

Talgrun's head quickly turned from Xani to the newcomer and back several times. The resemblances were striking, although their calling was apparently very much different. The older man was most clearly a soldier, not only was this apparent from the armour her wore, but also from the steely look in his eyes, so different from the one in Xani's.

"Xani Songwind, I don't think I need to introduce you to Zarius Songwind, your father." The steely look in Zarius's eyes melted somewhat upon seeing his daughter, but at least a remnant of it always remained. "Captain. . . This is Talgrun, champion of the Horde." The commander gestured towards Talgrun, although it there couldn't be a mistake whom she had been referring to.

The look turned steely again, but also took on a hint of deep respect, as the Xani's father turned to Talgrun. "I've heard many things of your exploits." Zarius made a slight bow. The eyes melted again as they went back to Xani, Talgrun already forgotten. Xani in the mean time had almost broken down in tears. "What is it?" Her father asked gently.

Immediately Xani lunged forward and threw her arms around her father. "I thought you were dead!"

It was only a moment before the father emotional defences also fell and he put his own arms around her. "I thought the same of you. . ." Zarius said softly, albeit slightly more composed than his daughter. Both Talgrun and Kaylin stood to the side.

"Wh-- Where's mother? Is she alright?" Zarius didn't need to say anything, his eyes betrayed the truth and gave Xani the answer she didn't want to hear. If she wasn't already being kept aloft by her father, she would have fallen on the ground unceremoniously. Her legs buckled as her emotions made a 180 degree turn. Instead of tears of glee, those of sorrow rolled over her cheeks. "No. . ." She said softly, defeated.

"She. . ." Zarius was now having trouble keeping his voice even as well. "We. . ."

Talgrun didn't listen to the story of how the village had been overwhelmed. He wasn't even really looking at how Xani's face buried in her father's shoulder, to distracted with his own memories. His memories took him back to when his own parents had died, in his case both at once during a raid from a rival clan back on Dreanor. He tried to recall how he had reacted to the situation, but quickly concluded that the situation was far from the same. Talgrun had already been familiar with the complete carnage that had sometimes ensued when to clans met on the battlefield and more importantly than that, Talgrun had been fully under the influence of the unnatural bloodlust. So much that at that point in his life he didn't care about who lived or died, only about when the next glorious battle would be. He found his own experience was for once inadequate to truly know what went on in Xani at this point.

"But. . . what are _you_doing here right now, then?" Xani asked softly, still stuttering, of her father after the story had finished.

The captain only looked to the older commander, who answered in the former's stead, "Captain Zarius is part of the Silverblades now. I believed that might affect your decision. . ."

Only now did it sink in with Xani that her father was once again a soldier. "But those days were done. . . Weren't they? Dad?"

"The Legion stands at our doorstep, how could I not take up my old sword again?" Zarius patted the sword dangling sheathed by his side. Xani hung her head, defeated. "Will you still accept the commander's proposal?"

"I will." Xani said after a while, more determinant than her emotionally ravaged face made seem possible. A streak of displeasure crossed the face of Xani's father. Talgrun suspected the older Songwind was thinking exactly the same as he was. Two family members in the same unit could be an advantage, for instance to brothers who knew exactly what the other would do and thus would make a formidable team. But if one fell before the other's eyes, that usually meant disaster for the other as well.

"I will." She repeated.


	31. Chapter 29: Broxigar the Red

Sorry for the delay. . . I'll try to get the rest up as soon as possible. Anyhoo, for those who've read the War of the Ancients, read the second half carefully, you might find something you recognise.

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**Chapter 29: Broxigar the Red**

Early - Day 3

After a days rest, the Thunder Regiment, as it was now called after an incident involving the regiment's spellcasters, once more stood on the forefront at sunrise. Thunder Regiment, William's regiment, Walken's regiment. Day two had been a quiet one. The Legion seemed almost uncertain whether to attack again, perhaps more unexpected defenders would appear to crash into their flanks. Whatever the reason the Legion had been surprisingly absent. No such luck on day three though. Even though the battle had not started yet, Walken could look down the slopes to see that today it would be far more serious than anything seen before on the mountain or anywhere else.

The 'Legion' part in 'the Burning Legion' now became eerily clear to Walken. From Walken's current position it was a few miles down the slope until one would stand before the demons and undead, but beyond that, the ranks of them seemed to extend until the horizon and beyond. So vast was their army that it couldn't fit within any one person's field of view. Truly they were an endless legion. But as Walken well knew, the passage up to the summit of Hyjal was narrow enough for the relatively few defenders, compared to the Legion's numbers, to hold any amount of demons and undead for an extended period of time.

The defenders had given up the positions they had employed during days 1 and 2 in favour of the first of the Alliance main defence positions, which had been build up considerably during those two days. These defences were mostly made up of palisade walls with walkways all along them to give room for archers and sharpshooters to employ their ranged weaponry, there were only a few towers. These defences were not truly meant to hold long, they were meant to buy more time for the builders to reinforce the defences further back. But Walken was not one to contemplate the various defences, he merely wanted to slay as many demons as he could.

"Sergeant!" William called from behind. Within the mixed regiments the decision had been made to adopt Alliance ranks as the standard amongst those regiments. As such, the large tauren was now a sergeant. A rank that suited him just fine. He was not truly in charge, but he could still order the 'privates' around if such were necessary. And such was necessary right now it seemed. William gestured towards a group of the warriors who were bunched up around two others whom Walken recognised to be new arrivals to replace those that had fallen on day one. He couldn't see what they were doing to the new arrivals, nor could he have said anything about it, but him merely walking towards them was enough to make them stop.

Upon arriving at his previous position, he noticed someone riding down the lines in front of the mass of soldiers. It was Talgrun. The scarred orc inspected the mixed regiments, which were as of the night before under his direct command. The older veteran nodded to Walken, William and Björn upon riding past Thunder Regiment. The mixed regiments had an extreme right position along the front. On those extreme edges there was only one regiment in front of the palisade walls, while in the middle the lines were several regiments thick. Command had assumed that the Legion would concentrate upon the middle, for there was the main way past the palisade walls. Thunder regiment's archers and riflemen, as well as those of the other mixed regiments, were stationed upon the walls behind them.

_Come on! When will they attack?! _Walken wondered impatiently, not for the first time. Already the two armies had performed their staring contest for almost an hour. Everybody was anxious because of it, all their nerves strained to the limit from staring down the maw of the greatest force the world of Azeroth had ever seen. _Perhaps they intend to tire us down? _He thought, again not for the first time. So far it had only proven advantageous for the defenders. Various riders had come to tell William, and Walken kept at least one ear listening when they were orcs or tauren, to tell how things progressed. Spellcasters had prepared grand spells to slay hundreds of demons at once. Catapults and other such siege equipment had been set up and were all loaded and ready to fire. Even a few mines had been planted several hundred feet in front of the defenders.

Talgrun came past again, but this time behind the regiments instead of in front. He spoke briefly with each captain commanding a regiment to make sure they all new their parts. When speaking with William they took somewhat longer, both apparently making some sort of humorous remark to one another. Walken was not generally one for participating in humour, at least not since Ysondra's death. Yet these two were often laughing about whatnot. Even in the face of such danger they apparently found the time for a friendly jest. When Talgrun had passed by again, William's face had turned dead serious again and his eyes were fixed upon the many demons and undead in the distance. Only when necessary did his eyes flicker to his soldiers to judge whether something needed to be adjusted in the regiment.

_WHEN!?_He thought again, desperate to stop waiting and start fighting. He knew both William and Talgrun would berate him thinking such, for the general plan was to make the defence last as long as possible. William would probably have said, 'If the demons want to wait, then let them. . .'

Something in the Legion's ranks caught his attention. Something moved there, far in the distance. The something moved closer to the defenders, followed by the Legion itself. Two miles from the front of the defenders, and outside of the catapults range, the 'something' halted. Now Walken could identify the something as a single figure, a gigantic demon with blue skin and massive looking ornate armour on the shoulders. Looking back, he saw William was already peering through his binoculars. William's lips betrayed he was whispering something, but the increasing sounds of the defenders themselves drowned it out.

"What is it?" Walken finally asked, curiosity getting the better of him.

"I can only conclude it's Archimonde. Perhaps he plans a long and tiring monologue to force us to surrender." William's visage twisted into a grin.

Walken turned back to the massive figure of Archimonde. The demon lord still stood where he had been before. It seemed as if Archimonde was taking in the sight of all that remained to defend the world. Then the demon lord's voice rung out in all languages at once, but Walken only heard the tauren one, as William only heard the common one. Yet the message was most definitely aimed at a specific group of the defenders.

"HEAR ME NIGHT-ELVES! THE TIME FOR RECKONING HAS COME!!" To accompany the thundering voice, a set of wicked horns blew in the distance, their thundering noise easily carrying far up the mountain. As a response the defenders own horns sounded defiantly.

But still the Legion seemed to do nothing. Walken had heard that this Archimonde was supposed to be a brilliant strategist. The tauren found it hard to belief the demon might actually be trying to tire the defenders down. _Or perhaps those down there are but a distraction?_

Indeed they were. Almost to late had the warning come. "ABOVE!" Someone called. Walken's head immediately tilted up to look upon the sight he saw there. From further to the right, a flying army came over a ridge. Flying monstrosities of all shapes and sizes. Chief amongst them were doomguard. Whether they were kept aloft by physical or magical means was unclear, their wings seemed to be to small for actual flying, but there were still thousands of them there, accompanied by massive flying skeletons Walken had heard described as being frost wyrms as their main backup. The frost wyrms were the reanimated remains of dragons. They left behind them a trail of frosty smoke as they flew.

Shouts rang out amongst the defenders and bows and guns were immediately pointed upward and immediately started unleashing volley after volley at the flying monstrosities. Many fell, but more got passed the volleys and descended upon the defenders to wreak havoc. Doomguard flayed many with their flaming swords or used spells to wreak fiery destruction, while the frost wyrms unleashed breaths of frost from above, the victims of which stood not a single chance of survival.

One smaller monstrosity, still three times a humans size, dared to land amongst Thunder Regiment. It swatted at them with it's claws, but all had the presence of mind to step aside quickly. The beast was quickly put down without any loss of life by a group of lancers, who thrust their weapons at and through the beast. While the beast slumped, still impaled, Walken heard a horn call out from very nearby, almost next to his ear. Looking, he saw it was William, who looked not at the flying monstrosities, but further down the slope.

The massive army of the Legion had been the distraction for the flyers, but the latter was also a distraction for the former. Unnoticed, the demons and undead on the ground had advanced at great speed. More horns called out. Catapults flung their deadly charges into the distance. Spellcaster previously distracted with the flyers were now flinging random spells at the advancing Legion, their prepared spells forgotten during the chaos the flyers had created.

The catapults did more damage than the unprepared spellcasters did, although the spellcasters had already taken quite a few of the flyers down. The massive projectiles, sometimes dipped in flammable substances and then set aflame, impacted. The impacts were accompanied by thuds that seemed to lag behind the actual impact because of the distance. Some of the projectiles exploded upon impact, creating craters and flinging more debris around, which also caused doom for many demons and undead. After the first salvo the catapults were quickly reloaded.

When the last catapult had unleashed it's charges, Loud bangs went of, signalling that the dwarven siege teams had fired their cannons. These projectiles caused similar damage, except all of them exploded, ripping hundreds of demons and undead apart. At range at least the Legion was no match for the defenders.

But even when the cannons had silenced, the very front line of the Legion remained largely intact. Only when they came closer did Walken recognise that this was no front line made up of flesh and blood warriors like the felguard, ghouls or abominations. The front ranks were made up purely out of infernals. Even though they were the enemy, Walken couldn't help but admire the massive burning goliaths as they thundered along the slope. None of them surged ahead of the others, they kept an even line.

And that was a problem, beyond the fact there were hundreds of infernals bearing down on them. The Legion seemed to intent to attack all parts of the defence equally hard. That made a serious problem for the extremely left and right positions, which were undermanned.

Walken heard a new roar. First he thought it might be Archimonde mocking them again, but he quickly heard it came from behind. After more listening he identified it as Talgrun's. "Wedges! Form wedges! Shields in front, lancers behind! Three regiments per wedge! Let the spellcasters and siege teams deal with the infernals!" Talgrun's words were law amongst the mixed regiments, and thus the captains commanding each regiment put his words into action. Wedges formed, a wall of shields making up the front of each and spears sticking out in front to gut any demon or undead coming close enough, any demon made of flesh that was.

So far the infernals still remained on course, only a few had fallen to sporadic spells. But soon Talgrun's words on the spellcasters and siege teams dealing with the infernals also became reality. A new salvo of explosive projectiles shot forth, aimed at the infernals, while grand spells orchestrated by spellcasters of all sorts shot forth as well. For a moment the air seemed to be made out of light and colour as both the projectiles and spells hit simultaneously. Explosions rocked the line of infernals. Flames so hot even the infernals couldn't take the heat engulfed whole ranks of them, melting them were they stood. Frost spells froze infernals in place. Roots burst from the ground and gripped the fiery legs of the infernals, no matter the damage it might do to the roots, toppling over many of them. Lighting shot from a previously unclouded sky, hitting many a infernal dead on. What remained of them could have been readily dealt with by the regiments in front of the palisade, but the Infernals still had a minefield to cross. Many a leg was shattered by explosions. Even then some remained, which were impaled upon carefully aimed ballista bolts, shot by sharp-eyed night-elves.

Only a handful remained out of hundreds, none of which had to be faced the regiments that made up the wedge Walken was now a part of. Walken had taken his newly crafted spear from his back, strapping his war hammer to his back, and now held it so it would impale any demon daring to get close to wedge.

He peered over the warrior in front of him, a sturdy looking human, and looked at the approaching Legion. More explosions rocked the ground, this time closer. Catapult boulders impacted, sending tremors through the ground. Not letting himself get distracted by the explosions which send many body parts sailing through the air, he tried to get an idea of what he would be facing. Mostly there were felguard, but also doomguard strode amongst their smaller kin. Undead were also amongst the attackers, mainly the swift ghouls and hulking abominations.

He ducked again behind the human, hoping the human's shield arm would hold against the abomination that was bearing down on their part of the wedge. Many a archer and sharpshooter started firing upon the advancing Legion. "HOLD THEM!" William shouted above the roar of ensuing battle, fairly unnecessarily, but was greeted by warcries from the prepared warriors. "NO MERCY!" And he was greeted by an even louder warcry just before the ranks of demons collided with the defenders.

In front of Walken the human held to his credit. The human's shield dented instantly, but the arm holding it kept it up. A sudden weight pressed upon Walken's spear, but he couldn't see what it was, the tip of it disappeared in the throng in front of him. More weights pressed upon the spear as more bodies impaled themselves on the long spear. Walken felt the spear tearing muscles and bone, but held on, keeping those impaled as far from the human in front of him as he could.

A shouted order came, partly lost in the roar of battle, but Walken knew what it meant. As one, those bearing the spears retracted their weapons. Another shout, and the spears were thrust forth once more impaling demon upon demon upon undead. Dark blood seeped down the shaft of the spear towards Walken's hands. An orc next to him, armed with an axe, started cutting in on the undead there. The lance of a demon went over the human's shield and grazed Walken's shoulder, drawing a pained grunt from the huge tauren. As a response to the graze he grabbed the responsible spear with his left, while holding on to his own with his right, and pulled the demon's spear to him. The demon holding the spear lost it's grip. Walken turned the spear over in his left and threw it into the ranks of demons where it would most likely impale one.

So far the losses on the defender's side had been small, but it would change. When the order to retract the spears came again, a fiery sword appeared above the human in front of Walken. The human hadn't noticed it, to busy with holding his shield up. The sword cut down, straight through the shield and then through the human. A gurgle was all that escaped the human before his body went slack, his spine severed at the neck, but the head remaining attached through sinew and skin. Blood splattered from the wound and onto Walken. The human collapsed, taking his shield with him. In front of Walken appeared the doomguard who'd been responsible for the human's death. The doomguard had a look that betrayed immense satisfaction at the carnage it wrought.

With determination Walken let go of his spear and drew his warhammer to meet the doomguard's next attack. "Come on! Show something!" Walken urged the demon. The demon happily obliged.

* * *

Late - Day 5

Since day 3 things had gone down hill quickly, or rather uphill quickly. One after the other, defensive positions were abandoned to the Legion. This day had brought little difference, except that they had been forced to surrender less ground. But still, if things continued like this, Archimonde would reach the summit well before Malfurion's plan could be put into effect. That was also the only good thing of that day, for the night-elven druids could now say with some certainty that they needed two more weeks to prepare their plans.

The many officers in front of Talgrun worked tirelessly day in day out in the grove to come up with strategies to slow down the Legion as much as they could. In the middle of the grove was the object of Talgrun's interest, a large shimmering magical depiction of the mountain from a birds eye view. The map of sorts had every ridge, every passage outlined on it. More importantly, the map, at least the part that depicted the main passage, was continuously updated with new information. The Legion was depicted in black, the defenders in different colours depending on their faction. Slowly the blue, the Alliance, coloured lower part of the mountain was being swallowed from below by the black coloured Legion. Here and there were red and purple spots, Horde and Night-elves accordingly, amongst the blue to indicate the joined effort. There were green spots as well, indicating the mixed regiments, though these were a minority.

Yet this colourful display was not what drew Talgrun attention. It was the various depicted pathways around the main passage that interested Talgrun, one in particular. Each one of those that lead to main passage had guard regiments posted there to make sure no Legion troops would get through. These regiments were also depicted in colours indicating their faction. Most of the coloured regiments also had a second dot next to them indicating the presence of the Legion. These were coloured to indicate how recent messages had come from those regiments concerning Legion movement. The larger the spot, the more Legion activity. The one red coloured side passage Talgrun was interested in had such a dot next to it, a dark red one indicating the last message had arrived quite some time ago, it was fairly large as well.

He winched, momentarily distracted from the passageway. A lowly peon was stitching up his left arm where there was a deep gash running from almost at his wrist up to his elbow, so far his only injury from the battles on the mountain. Since the powers of the healers were far better used for those more gravely injured, Talgrun had foregone true treatment so the healers could put their energy to better use. The wound did ache enormously and not for the first time had he considered scratching at the stitches, but he kept himself from doing so. Another peon was trying to clean some of the blood of his armour, none of it his. There was so much blood on it that truly became a hindrance. A lot of it had dried in between plates of armour and was making movement in the armour less fluid. Not much, but enough to be fatal in a close situation.

He directed his attention back to the side passage. It didn't sit right with him that there had been reports of Legion activity there, yet no additional regiments had been send out to reinforce the regiment, such would have been indicated by an additional dot.

After a while, when the peons had both finished up as well as they could, Talgrun rose from his seated position at the edge of the grove and stepped towards two who might be able to enlighten him on the situation. Both general Trent and warlord Firetusk looked towards him when they noticed him approached him. They had been discussing ways to delay the Legion's assent, instead of trying to do as much damage as was the current way of thinking.

"Warlord, general. . ." Both inclined their heads slightly in a bow. Without further formalities, Talgrun immediately went straight to the point. "That side passage there. . ." He gestured towards the one that had caught his attention on the southern face of the mountain. "Were reinforcements send out there?"

Both high ranking officers looked at the side passage as if seeing it for the first time. Talgrun quickly realized that the only thing the magical depiction of the mountain was really being used for was for the main passage way, nobody paid attention to the other parts because the information was often outdated. Firetusk then said what Talgrun had feared would be said. "There haven't. There weren't any available forces at that time, all were either fighting, retreating or trying to get their wounded looked after."

Trent's eyes widened slightly when he recognised the situation. Before Talgrun could offer to do anything, Trent said, "We need forces to go out there and reinforce the Horde forces protecting that canyon immediately! If the Legion gets through there they have an easy way to get behind many of our forces." The general looked expectantly towards Talgrun.

"I'll leave immediately, some of my regiments should be rested enough by now, one of them will do." Talgrun responded to the expectant look.

"Wait a minute!" Firetusk interjected. "Your forces may have had rest, but how long have _you_ been awake?"

Talgrun had to admit Firetusk was right. There had been very little rest for Talgrun. While his regiments rotated in and out of combat, he remained there most of the time. As long as he had at least one regiment at the front, he was there as well. He had only come up here on request from his second in command, who was concerned that five straight days of fighting might have tired the veteran orc down. The second in command was a capable dwarf who had learned several words of night-elven military jargon, and would thus be able to hold the regiments together for a while.

"I have had sufficient rest. . . Besides, I can sleep in the saddle on the way to the passage." In truth he couldn't, but he needed to reassure the warlord.

"Very well. . ." Firetusk finally acknowledged. "But take two regiments, we don't know what might be attacking our forces in that canyon. It might be nothing, but it might also be thousands of them." Knowing there was nothing left to say, Talgrun quickly saluted and raced away from the grove.

Sasha was ready and waiting as always, the wolf always managing some sleep while Talgrun wasn't looking. The wolf quickly brought him down the mountain to where his regiments were resting. The captain of the first claimed to have arrived at the resting place only an hour ago, but pointed him in the direction of a regiment that already been there longer. To his surprise it was Thunder Regiment. William was nowhere to be seen though. However, he did see Walken.

"Walken. . ." Gently he prodded the sitting tauren against the leg. With a startle the massive tauren awoke from his not so deep slumber, if he had truly been asleep in the first place. "Sorry to interrupt your snoring, but how long have you been here, resting?"

For a moment the tauren looked thoughtful at the ground, then answered. "Ten hours. Something like that."

"How many dead?"

"sixty-four dead, thirty four are still amongst the wounded."

"Leaving just over half the regiment. . ." Talgrun bit his lower lip in thought, deciding whether a half strength regiment along with another one he had yet to locate would be enough. What he had seen so far didn't bode well for finding many other regiments that had sufficient rest. "It'll have to do. Find William and alert him that we'll be moving out with one other regiment. Get the regiment ready to move."

"We going back to the front?"

Talgrun shook his head once. "Nah, a side passage that might already have been overrun." Walken nodded and then immediately went to do his job, leaving Talgrun to find another regiment.

Almost all warriors he passed by recognised him and saluted in respect. Sometimes he'd stop to talk to one or two, speaking words of hope, or just merely patting a tired shoulder as he passed by.

Try as he might, none of his other regiments appeared to have rested enough. He couldn't ask them to follow him now, they had over two days of straight fighting behind them.

"Problems?" An unemotional voice asked from behind.

He turned to look upon Kaylin. "Yeah. . . I need more warriors. Rested ones." Kaylin looked very impressive in her new, but already blood splattered armour, the previous being irreparably damaged. The armour was a combination of newly crafted brown tinted metal armour. A long black cloak flowed behind her with the signature of the regiment she commanded stitched into it in silver, two blades, Silverblades.

"You're not the first to say that. . ."

An idea occurred to Talgrun. "Have you had rest recently?"

"We have been up here for almost twelve hours. I was just about to order the regiment back down to the front when I saw you standing here."

"How many dead, wounded?"

"Twelve dead and all wounded have been taken care of. Why?"

"I need a second regiment to secure one of the side passages. Can you be spared from the front, or do you perform some crucial task?"

"Securing one of the side passages is more crucial. Where do we join your regiment?" Talgrun quickly described the location. "Good, I'll send a messenger to notify my commander of it. Do the healers stay behind to aid the wounded here or do they come with us?"

"They come with. There is no telling what is out there, they might be needed immediately." Kaylin nodded in agreement. After several more arrangements the two went back to their own regiments. Upon arriving at the Thunder Regiment, he saw the now somewhat ragtag looking warriors had formed up in semi-neat ranks awaiting orders, with at their head, "William! How was your beauty sleep?" He called out to the new captain, the latter already mounted and waiting for orders.

"Barely sufficient, my handsomeness is suffering." The human responded without a second of hesitation, but then went straight to business. "I heard a side passage needs securing?"

Talgrun nodded and pulled a small map from a saddlebag. "That one. Two days ago already a message had come that there was trouble there, but no reinforcements had been send yet."

"So you took it upon yourself to make sure it is secure. . ." William nodded a bit as if Talgrun did this sort of thing all the time. "And the other regiment? I imagine most of ours would still be in dire need of rest."

"All in fact. But I found a willing night-elf regiment, giving us just under three hundred warriors."

"Let me guess. . . Silverblades?" Talgrun looked surprised, he couldn't remember ever having told William the name of that regiment, or even having spoken the name in his presence. As if reading his thoughts, William tilted his head towards something behind Talgrun.

He turned to look up Kaylin, mounted upon a sleek giant sabre. "We have gathered as ordered!" She said in crisp military way and saluted. A slight look of disdain crossed her normally unemotional face as she looked at the somewhat ragtag regiment now behind Talgrun, a stark contrast with her own militarily perfect regiment, as militarily perfect as possible under the circumstances. Talgrun repeated the same process of pointing out on the map which passage it was they needed to secure. Kaylin managed to tell him that the passage winded through a myriad of canyons

Not long after they had set out toward the passage, setting a pace that would get them there within a few hours while keeping the warriors fresh enough to fight. Most remained without mounts, mounts being a sparse commodity reserved for officers and the very best that requested them.

* * *

Just past midnight - Day 6

Thunder Regiment had followed the Silverblades through the canyons, some of the latter knowing the terrain better than anybody in the Horde or Alliance. Talgrun had ridden up front with Kaylin and her new second in command, a young captain who looked to young to have seen any combat besides the last few days, and two of Thunder Regiment, Walken and one other he had never seen before. Kaylin had informed him that they were fast approaching their target, it wouldn't be long now.

Several times he had looked back into the ranks of Silverblades, looking for Xani. Xani steadfastly walked besides her father, silence being very sparse between the two. Talgrun saw two different Xanis alternating one another. The first was most akin to how the young night-elf had been before, while the second was her current self. The first most often showed while she was having a visibly good time talking to her father, while the second surfaced when they were either not talking, or were speaking of Xani's late mother. The difference was not large, but Talgrun knew her well enough to see the difference. The second was still just as kind and willing to help as the first, but there was a new sort of hardness or bitterness, combined with a willingness to fight to the bitter end if necessary, in the latter Xani.

Whenever she saw him looking, such as now, her eyes invited him over to them. But he couldn't do that. Not just because he was leading this mission either.

He heard Walken snort heavily beside him. Instantly he directed his gaze somewhere else and then looked to the massive tauren walking beside him. "What?"

For a while Walken just gave him a knowing look. "I don't think she just dragged you out of a river and healed your injuries. . ." Fortunately no one else nearby spoke orcish, not even the one from Thunder Regiment that was at the front of the column with them. "Not just friendship. . . She kept you afloat of your own misery." Talgrun tried to keep a stony face, but felt he had failed enough for Walken to notice. At first he had thought Walken to be of less than normal intelligence, but the tauren had shown on several occasions that he was far smarter than he let up to most people. He now realized the tauren had already shown himself suspicious of Talgrun's dealings with Xani before. "Don't worry. . ." Walken added after a while.

The now a bit distressed orc thought for a moment before saying anything. Denying was no use now with someone like Walken. "How long did you suspect?"

"Since you first interrogated her back in the Barrens. I wasn't sure though. And I still don't quite know just what to make of it. . ."

"Me neither. . ." He said, sighing. A sound reached his ears, one all to familiar. The conversation forgotten, he raised a balled fist, bringing the column to an abrupt halt. "Listen!" He said in just one language, knowing the others would get the point no matter what. Again a sound so dreadfully familiar reached him. It was soft, having travelled for a great distance before reaching them, but it was unmistakably the dying cry of some demon. That he had heard the cry before any of the night-elves surprised him somewhat, but he was to concentrated on the situation to care much.

"Felbeast!" One night-elf said.

Another cry echoed. "Doomguard." Kaylin reported.

"Hasten! We are nearly there!" Talgrun called out to the Thunder Regiment in the rear. "Walken!" And of Kaylin he asked, "Any riders you have would be useful." Kaylin quickly gestured towards those mounted upon sabres. While the column more than doubled it's speed, the riders came forth. Zarius was among them. "Captain. . ." He said respectfully to the older elf, receiving an equally respectful nod from the elf. Then, with hammer raised in front of him, he urged the riders, and one tauren, to make their best speed down the canyons. Walken would be able to keep up well enough with his far longer limbs.

The dozen riders raced down the canyon in almost complete darkness, hoping to arrive in time. Good thing the sabres as well as their riders had superb night vision. Talgrun, Sasha and Walken had to make due with less, but they raced along well enough.

But they arrived just in time to see the last of those defending the pass get cut down, skull split in two by a flaming sword. No! Not the last. There was one more, battling waves of felbeasts on his own. The somewhat shorter, but stocky, orc bore wounds all over his body, but fought on nevertheless, standing amongst the corpses of demons, roaring for more to come to him. The whole canyon lay littered with hundreds of bodies. For every dead orc there had to be at least a dozen dead demons, and who knew how many more lay further down the canyon. A few torches lit up the canyon, providing much needed light for Talgrun to see.

He roared loud at the demons, distracting them from the lone orc battler. The orc barely looked to register their presence. The dozen riders crashed upon the many demons, slashing and pounding any demon that got within reach. One night-elf was immediately gutted by a lance, the spear bursting through the back, and was flung of her mount. With a strength even demons did not posses Walken swung the hammer down upon a felguard, pounding it's head into it's torso. Ribs cracked and burst through skin when Talgrun's hammer impacted the side of a doomguard's ribcage. An arm along with most of the shoulder abruptly fell away from another one when Zarius' sword swooped through the demon.

The Legion's advance through the canyon was abruptly halted. When the two other regiments arrived, it was even reversed. "Archers! Take position there and there and there!" Kaylin shouted to her warriors, choosing higher ground for her archers from where they could easily shoot far down the canyon. The archers immediately obeyed, splitting into three groups and taking up their positions. William ordered similar to his archers and sharpshooters when he arrived. With the cover of the archers and sharpshooters, the demons fell by the dozens and were forced to retreat down the canyon, even demons daunted by the odds.

"Hold! Let them go!" Talgrun roared, repeating it for the elves, when they had pushed them a distance down the canyon.

"We have them on the run! We should pursue!" One orc protested, clearly desiring further combat. This was most likely their first real victory.

"No! This is an ideal spot to hold them!" Indeed it was. From their higher positions, the three groups of archers and sharpshooters could hit anything that dared approach within a five hundred feet. Grudgingly the warriors obeyed. The demons disappeared behind a corner in the canyon. "Injured?!" He called out so everybody would hear.

"A few." Someone nearby answered, stating a more exact number a few seconds later.

"Get them looked after! William!" William walked up to him, his horse trailing behind. "Organise a solid front. I don't want anything to be able to get through without us knowing about it. Kaylin, look to your archers, than position your other warriors on the front!" He felt awkward actually telling the commander what to do, as did she judging by the look on her face, but he found he worked with confidence and efficiency no matter who he ordered around. No matter her feelings about it, she sheathed her jagged bladed sword and went to work, organising priestesses on her way. Looking around, he saw he did not need to put the healers to work, they were already busy, Jonno leading the night-elves in that regard. Finally he said, almost a whisper, "Walken, you're with me." The tauren obeyed and followed Talgrun to the latter's destination.

Talgrun dismounted for the first time in hours upon arriving. Others immediately parted before him, creating a clear path towards the orc that was Talgrun's goal. The orc still stared down the canyon, clutching his axe so tightly his knuckles were white. Talgrun put a hand on the orc's shoulder, and then only barely withdrew his head in time to dodge the axe coming around. The orc still looked as if he were actively in combat. Every muscle in his body was still tensed up, his face betraying a desire to continue fighting until his own demise. The orc looked to be somewhere around Talgrun's age, perhaps not quite as old but he most certainly wasn't young anymore. Scars akin to Talgrun's crisscrossed all exposed parts of the orc's skin.

But the look immediately vanished when the orc, seemingly for the first time seemed to see them, especially when he saw who he had almost decapitated. "Excuse my rashness!" the shorter orc immediately said in an apologising tone.

"It's alright. . . All others are dead?"

"Yes. We first fought them further down the canyon, but we were pushed back. We send a messenger two days ago."

"I only found out a few hours ago, barely in time it seems." The shorter orc muttered something under his breath akin to, 'perhaps you should have waited a few seconds more'. His gaze then shifted to the many dead orcs lying around the canyon. "They will be honoured." Talgrun said as he noticed what the shorter orc looked at. The orc's gaze shifted back to Talgrun, looking somewhat grateful. "Your name?"

"Broxigar. . . Brox."

"As you will be honoured for your valiant stand here, Brox."

"I wish no honour for myself." Brox sounding almost sorrowful saying it, as if whishing he was with his now dead comrades.

"Alright, well, get yourself fixed up then." He gestured towards where the various healers were working. The orc quickly went, leaving Talgrun. Knowing Brox would be taken care of, he went back to organising. "I need a rider!" One immediately came. "Message must be taken to command. 'We have secured the side passage and need relief forces. Minimal losses.' Got that?" The rider nodded and was of immediately, pushing his mount to maximum.

As he went about organising the rest, he glanced towards Brox and couldn't help but feeling fate, if there was such a thing, had something in store for the orc.

* * *

A/N: Broxigar the Red belongs to Richard A. Knaak. I just hope he won't sue me for this, if he ever finds out:) Brox is a character in the trilogy 'War of the Ancients'. 


	32. Chapter 30: Archimonde's Wrath

Read on. . .

** Chapter 30: Archimonde's Wrath**

Midday - Day 8

_Things are not going well! _Talgrun thought as bits of what passed for the brain of a felguard splattered onto him. His hammer had just crushed the skull of said felguard. The but end of the hammer he then rammed into the opened maw of a felhound, which had leapt towards him. The but end, itself bearing a spike, buried itself deep into the felhound's throat, destroying something essential to the beast's functioning. Besides him Walken pounded his way through a doomguard, the large obsidian hammer exiting through the rear.

Indeed things had not gone well. They had lost ground to quickly. At the beginning of the day Talgrun and his regiments had once more taken an extreme right position along the front. This time Talgrun truly wished for the opportunity to fix that mistake. Through some strategic masterminding of Archimonde, the front had collapsed, almost turning into a full route. Already most forces had gone miles up the mountain, the Legion chasing them all the way. Yet the mixed regiments extreme right position did not allow them to retreat that easily, they after all had a wall behind them.

William, Talgrun's unofficial second in command since his previous one had perished the day before, had managed to lead most of the regiments towards the middle before the right had gotten cut of completely. Talgrun had not had that much of an opportunity to do so. He could have, propelled by his mount Sasha he could have easily sped past most demons before they even knew he had been there, but he would have left a lot of warriors behind that might otherwise be saved.

A lot of losses later, they had managed to get behind the walls, only to find themselves swarmed by the Legion. It was absolute chaos. A lot of small groups tried to still make a stand, but most of the demons and undead just stormed past them uphill, while others sought out those defiant enough to stand against the Legion on a lower part of the hill.

"That way!" Talgrun roared at the few still with him. More and more it would have seemed he should have just made a run for it, no matter how honourable that would have been. There was no telling which demon would attack them. Many ran straight at them, but then veered of just before they would have attacked them, while others just turned at the most unexpected time to attack them.

An infernal suddenly impacted behind him, sending him falling of Sasha. He had not noticed the boulder, which normally announced an infernal's coming, falling from the sky, to busy he had been with the 'normal' demons and undead. The infernal had cut their party in two, most behind the infernal, who were now the infernal's goal. He waved to them to go further up the mountain, but doubted they had seen it. "Are you alright?" Walken asked quickly when Talgrun had gotten back up. He just nodded. "Where do we go?" The tauren asked as he warded of what he thought to be a demon attacking them, only to find it veering of. Another one suddenly turned to attack Walken. The latter was quickly killed, but the first escaped.

"There!" He pointed to the north. "There should be a pass there that can take us almost all the way to the Horde defence." The first part, where the Alliance defence, which now lay completely destroyed, had been, of the main passage went uphill to the east. It then twisted around a ridge and turned to the north-west, towards the Horde defence. The passage he intended to take was a shortcut that would take them over or through the ridge, he didn't know which, he had only briefly seen it on a map.

"Then we go there!" Walken shouted at the few still with them. They ran, only sporadically fighting demons and undead, most seemingly ignored them anyway.

Something to his left caught his attention. "Xani!" He shouted, but she didn't hear. Nor could she have. She was unconscious. Her father was carrying her uphill, while fending of a pair of felbeasts. Zarius had not noticed him either, to occupied with the felbeasts. "Walken, take them to the pass. Stay hidden. If I don't get there ten minutes after you do, go through!"

"Where are you going?!" Talgrun only tilted his head towards the pair of night-elves, drawing an understanding look from the tauren.

"Songs will be sung in your honour!" Walken intoned, obviously not expecting Talgrun to actually make it. Talgrun's own impressive height and girth would make out of a him a beacon for the demons and undead, especially mounted upon a giant wolf.

"I_do_ intend to make it there!" He roared a reply when he was already on his way, mounted once more.

He wound his way through the demons, keeping so low that his head was just above Sasha's, or else the wolf would throw him of when suddenly turning around a demon. Never before had he ridden with such speed, nor with such mobility. As if the wolf knew where to go, Talgrun was not giving instructions, she sped closer and closer to the pair of elves.

Zarius had successfully defeated the pair of felbeasts while carrying his daughter, but then he suddenly toppled over. Nothing seemed to have hit the older elf, but perhaps some spell had been his doom. For the thousandth time in his life he cursed himself in belief that he was to late.

Talgrun arrived. Not bothering to slow down, he jumped of Sasha and landed mere feet away from the pair. Sasha stood by them, clawing and biting any demon or undead that dared come within reach. Avoiding the sword of a doomguard, Talgrun rolled to the stricken duo. Seeing the doomguard now ignored him and started to trudge of up the mountain, Talgrun checked whether the two elves were still alive. His thick fingers pressed in their necks discovered a feint pulse in both their necks, stronger in Zarius'. It looked as though the father had been hit by a random stone flung away by some spell, there was a dent in his helmet and a sizable rock lay near his head.

After momentarily fending of an attack, he rose both elves onto Sasha and then decided to run himself. The wolf would be far more capable of carrying them. Both wound their way around the demons and undead towards the north.

Another trying to wend his way through the demons upon a mount caught his attention. "GENERAL TRENT!"

The general's head instantly turned towards Talgrun. Instead of continuing to ride up hill, the general turned his horse around and came to him. His sword decapitated several felguard while Trent rode to Talgrun. "You had better have a way out of here! It's no use trying to go uphill here!"

"To the north is a passage through the mountain which will take us almost all the way to the Horde defence."

"Good enough, let's go!"

"Wait! Can you carry one of these? Then we'd be able to move much faster if we could both ride."

The general's glance momentarily shifted to the two night-elves lying on Sasha. "Can't, I have already got a package!" He turned his horse somewhat to show the young woman hiding behind Trent's armoured form. Talgrun just nodded his understanding and then urged Sasha to go north. The general remained close, decapitating anything that dared come within six feet of him.

A cliff appeared not far to the north. Coming closer and closer he also saw the passage, and even saw walken's head popping up from behind a large boulder. The head disappeared quickly, but the tauren had at least seen Talgrun coming.

He was so concentrated on that cliff, that passage, that he didn't notice the massive shadow enveloping him. "Talgrun! LOOK OUT!" Trent shouted. And only then did Talgrun notice the shadow. The cliff was now not far anymore, mere dozens of feet. But even if it had been only two feet, it wouldn't have mattered.

He looked over his shoulder and his expression froze. "Sasha!" He gestured for the wolf to continue on, which she did without hesitating about leaving her master to the one Talgrun now faced. Trent had long done the same, not wanting to face what Talgrun now faced. The lesser demons and undead were few here, at the very edge of the main passage, but those that were there didn't notice him, undoubtedly that had to do with the one who now towered over Talgrun. "Damn it. . ." Talgrun muttered under his breath. He readied his mace, showing he wouldn't just lie before this demon and wait for death. "Archimonde." He said with a fake respectful tone.

The six times taller blue-skinned demon squatted and peered at the orc before him. The only features of the demon lord's face Talgrun cared to look at were the bony ridges on the demon's forehead and the few short tentacle like appendages where there was usually a beard on an orc or a human.

"Talgrun. . ." The demon muttered, still sounding as if his voice was made of thunder. Surprise struck Talgrun that the demonlord would know his name, but he then realized Archimonde could well have gotten that information from Dethrox or by doing some unnoticed digging in Talgrun's mind. "Your nuisance ends here!" The demonlord declared. The possibility that Dethrox had informed the archdemon of the orc seemed much more acceptable now, since only Dethrox would know about Talgrun having been such trouble to the Legion. _So Dethrox is still around? _He thought to himself. "Indeed he is!" Archimonde's voice rumbled, confirming the mind-reading as well as Dethrox being alive. The demonlord gestured somewhere behind him.

There Dethrox stood, looking without emotion at Talgrun. Talgrun would have expected the dreadlord to at least be pleased that the orc was now surely about to die. "Dethrox. . ." Talgrun muttered, contempt dripping from his voice. Dethrox merely inclined his head in a slight bow, further stunning Talgrun with the dreadlord's behaviour.

Dethrox seemed somehow different from the last time Talgrun had seen him. Then he noticed the massive patches of scars that ran all over the dreadlord's exposed body. Scars from burns and other methods of inflicting pain. "He has been punished for his failures. . ." Archimonde commented, undoubtedly again reading minds. "Yet, he had valuable information. For that reason alone he lives still, so he may redeem himself some other day." Dethrox inclined his head again, but this time not in reference, but in deep thought. "Enough of this!" The demonlord then declared.

Archimonde's fist came down upon Talgrun, or at least would have if the latter hadn't gotten out of the way in time. A, for Archimonde, minor spell impacted the ground just in front of where Talgrun had landed. Black flames licked Talgrun's armoured form as he was thrown of his feet. He landed hard on his back. A Massive foot appeared above his head, ready to squash him. Just in time he brought his hammer in position. He planted the rear end into the ground and held the tip in front of him. Archimonde didn't see what was underneath his foot and thus let it come down without hesitation.

Any other weapon would surely have broken, but the enchanted hammer remained intact, barely. The tip on top of the hammer drove through Archimonde's foot, drawing blood, or what passed for the blood of this demon. Archimonde roared in surprise at the defiance the little orc put up, and perhaps a slight amount of pain as well. Liquid green flames poured from the wound and landed on Talgrun's legs. The flames seared straight through the armour as if it weren't even there. The moment Archimonde retracted his foot from the sting the hammer had inflicted, Talgrun used a hand to bat the liquid flames of him.

Before Talgrun could get up fully, a now angry Archimonde reached down and picked Talgrun up. The massive demon's hand did not fit around Talgrun's throat, so the archdemon had to make due with holding Talgrun up by wrapping a hand around the latter's torso. An immense pressure squeezed down on Talgrun. His armour dented from the pressure, even the high quality armour unable to stand up against this punishment.

From the demonlord's other hand black shadows shot forth to wrap around Talgrun. As the shadows closed in, a pain started to form within Talgrun. A pain as if his insides were being ripped apart whilst still in his own body. The thought that it might actually be what was happening occurred to Talgrun when the first blood filled cough came. The pain increased until all he could do was roar in pain. As one shadow came so close that it passed through Talgrun's left arm, it instantly ripped away muscle and skin from the bone, which showed through the fresh wound. And while the spell was still tearing away at him, the pressure upon his torso continued. Ribs cracked like toothpicks. Again and again he felt the jerking of his chest and the sharp pain coursing through him.

Then the shadows disappeared abruptly. As most of the pain vanished, it was replaced with rage. He wasn't finished with his life yet. There was still vengeance to exact upon the one down below, who was undoubtedly staring up with pleasure. Red filled his vision. Whether it was rage or blood he couldn't tell, and no longer did. "You life still?" Archimonde asked in surprise. "You surprise even me, little orc!"

While surprise hadn't been apparent on the demon's visage as he had said that, it became most visible when Talgrun raised the hammer he had held on to all this time. _Not yet! Not __in_your_ hands!_ He roared in his mind, knowing the demonlord would undoubtedly hear it. The puzzled look on the demon face betrayed he had in fact heard it. With his last bit of strength, he brought the hammer down on Archimonde's wrist, even though he knew any damage he could do could no doubt be repaired by the demon at a moment's notice.

Something in Archimonde's wrist gave way, it cracked underneath the momentum of the hammer, forcing the hand to open in reflex. A roar of pain reached Talgrun as he dropped to the ground. He lacked the strength to land properly, he had to make due with landing on one knee. More pain wrecked his body as he found he had broken his right ankle in the fall, despite the boots he wore.

Utilizing what remained of his strength, rage and hatred which had enabled him to free himself, he worked himself up to a standing position. He managed to stand despite his constant pain, torn insides, broken ankle, torn away muscles and cracked ribs, and even managed to raise his hammer with both hands. There was no way he'd be able to swing the weapon even once, but it was just the sign he wanted to give to the arch demon that counted now. In the corner of his eyes he noticed Dethrox. The dreadlord stood looking as if sharing Talgrun's pain and looked not at all willing to finish Talgrun of. _Then this must be what the dreadlord went through himself. . . _He thought without caring whether Archimonde would hear.

_Similarly painful. . . _Dethrox's voice came inside his head. Dethrox presence was somehow far more noticeable inside his head than Archimonde's. _GET OUT OF MY HEAD! _He roared mentally at the dreadlord, the only thing he could still do with some strength. He felt the presence disappear immediately.

He expected Archimonde to look down upon the defiant little orc and think of some gruesome way of ending the orc's live, but that was not what happened. The archdemon had lost his composure. Still gripping his wrist with his other hand, he drew one foot back. Talgrun gave one last weak roar of defiance before the foot impacted him square in the chest.

Archimonde's loss of composure and subsequent eagerness to just kick the one responsible of his pain, before thinking about it, was what saved Talgrun at least for the moment. His armour was meant for stopping exactly this sort of thing. He still broke even more ribs. He still suffered a collapsed lung. His heart still skipped several beats. But he lived while he soared through the air. Even when he impacted the cliffs he lived. Even though his right arm was twisted impossibly and cracked. Even though the same happened with his lower left leg as it impacted a rock protruding from the cliff. Even the concussion didn't kill the orc. Even when he impacted the ground did he still life.

Every inch of his body hurt as much as when his left arm had been twisted back to far, but he could still breath, slightly. His sense of time was long gone when he heard Archimonde's thundering voice from above. The strength to turn his head was absent. "Does he life still?" The archdemon asked. "I sense something, but it might be a lingering spirit."

Someone else turned Talgrun over. One of the few acts he was capable of, turning his eyes, he performed right now. He looked straight at Dethrox. "He is. . ." Dethrox muttered. "But he won't be for long."

"Leave him then. When those undead ghouls take an interest, they can have him for dinner." Both demons left, only Dethrox hesitated for just a second, but was then called along by the demonlord.

What seemed like an eternity of pain later, but what really was just a minute, a face appeared above him. _Xani. . . _He thought absently, torn between giving in to the pain and falling unconscious or trying to remain awake longer to look upon that face. Finally he decided upon the latter. His eyes slowly traced her form, what he could see of it from his position. She looked far from well, she in fact had a pained look in her eyes that didn't just originate from looking at him. There was a hole in her armour just above her left hip, blood seeping out of it. Her hands were covered in her own blood, as he noticed when they came up to his face.

"Talgrun? Can you hear me?" He gave her the most meaningful glance he could muster as a response. She called to others, who not long after appeared. Zarius appeared briefly just to inspect his consciousness and then vanished. Walken appeared along with a dark troll he didn't recognise so quickly, but who did look familiar. Both caused him more pain. They picked him up, Walken the shoulders, the dark troll the feet. The short trip rattled him, which caused him an amount of pain that nearly caused him to black out. Then being put down on the ground caused him to get even closer to blacking out.

To close.

Black crept in from the edges of his vision. This time there would be no rage to save him, there would be no thoughts of needing to exact vengeance that carried him through it. Well, both were there, but both were insufficient to drive the darkness away. Even the sight of Xani once more couldn't drive it away. Recognising the dark troll as Gar, someone he didn't particularly like anyway, couldn't either.

Xani said or whispered things to him, but his ears no longer functioned. His chest descended as he breathed out. Stubbornness made him breath one more time with the one lung he had left to show it was possible, but it was the last.

His chest descended once more. The last time.

Blackness covered his whole vision.

His mind stopped working.

* * *

Afternoon - Day 8

_This is not good! _William couldn't help but think. It wasn't the display in front of him that troubled him so. It should in fact be making him feel very good indeed. His thoughts went out to something else, or rather several people.

He and the remaining regiments had made it to the Horde defence. When the last large group had arrived, the massive minefield that stretched for well over a mile down the slope was magically activated. The Horde had worked tirelessly for days to lay the mines. The Legion's commanders had no idea what was going on until it was far to late. The first felhound had leapt onto a mine, and had exploded into a shower of burning pieces of flesh, the felhound destroyed beyond recognition. The explosion took out several more of the same pack of felhounds.

The Legion paid no mind to the single explosion, and stormed into the minefield. In a series of explosions the front ranks of the Legion were utterly obliterated. The ranks behind stormed through the explosions and stepped on the next mines, causing more mines to explode. The Legion's use of soldiers of sub-intelligence was working against it. Ranks upon ranks of them stormed into the mines, only thinking about the beautiful carnage that lay beyond the minefield. None that tried to get through survived. Catapults and siege teams set up at the Horde defence caused further mayhem.

But none of this affected William in the least. His thoughts went out to those still down there. Unless they found someway to stay clear of the demons and undead, they wouldn't make it anywhere near the Horde defences. He knew Talgrun was still down there, having left him there, along with Walken and many others he valued. According to reports general Trent was also missing. The general had been in command of the defence that day. Despite his best and admirable efforts, the general's defence had fallen. The general himself had last been seen trying to organise a retreat for the injured and their healers.

Now it came to Warlord Firetusk to organise the first of the Horde defences. If one were to look behind the palisade walls, one would see an endless row of catapults which stretched the entire width of the main passage. The warlord's intention was that there would be no more lost ground that day. The catapults would insure such once the minefield became ineffective, pounding the demons and undead into obliteration before they came anywhere near the defenders.

Food and water was passed out amongst the defenders. They had some time now for such luxuries, for the Legion would take some time to get through the minefield. They enjoyed their rations while looking down the slope at the morbid display of explosions.

As William tore through a piece of bread without tasting it, he looked left. There was Kaylin at the head of several hundreds of night-elven soldiers on sabres. The rest of her soldiers, archers and what remained of the rest that had made up her regiment, stood behind the mounted elves. None of them he recognised as Xani, the one he had often seen near Talgrun. Neither did he see the older elf he had come to understand was Xani's father.

An orc strode into view, one he quickly recognised as Kargagtha. She walked to him purposefully. But before she could say or ask anything, he asked, "Any word on Talgrun?"

"None. . . I was just about to ask you."

"Shouldn't you be with your own soldiers?" The previous day Kargagtha had been given command of several regiments of orcs, whose commanders had perished. The trainees which had been left, including those that had not seen any battle yet, had been divided amongst the regiments that had taken heavy losses.

She shook her head and said, "They're resting. It'll be some time 'till the Legion gets here anyway."

"True."

"Do you think Talgrun may still make it?"

"If he isn't already dead, the only way to get out is if he finds one of the passages that lead through the mountain. He'll be dead if tries any other way."

"If he isn't already dead."

"Yes."

"It was an honour to have known him." With that she turned around and left. William knew that according to command, anybody who was missing and still believed to be further down the slope might as well be dead.

_Well, if there is any two who can get out of such a mess alive. . . It's Talgrun and Walken. Those two can __fight through any amount of demons._

_Provided they are still alive._


	33. Chapter 31: Two

**Chapter 31: Two**

Afternoon - Day 8

_Elune, please. . . Give me the strength to heal this one_. Xani prayed, desperately. No matter the hole just above her hip. The one lying in front of her was far more injured.

The demons remained oblivious that they were there, the boulders behind which they hid were sufficient to keep them from being noticed. Walken sat across from her on the other side of Talgrun's still, broken, body. The tauren's face betrayed he doubted it would work. The weathered orc veteran had taken just to much punishment this time.

Light akin to that of the moon shone around her, even though it was still daytime, as her prayers to the mother moon took effect. Some superficial scratches vanished, but her attempts at healing the stricken orc were strangely ineffective. No matter her condition, it should have worked, the wound she was concentrating on should have utterly vanished. Instead, something small near that wound had healed.

A hand came down on her shoulder. She looked up at her father. A large bump on his forehead betrayed where a rock had struck him. "It's no use." He said softly. "He's already gone."

"What!? No! He was alive just now!"

"And he died in between then and now." Zarius said coldly. "You can't do anything for him now. You saw what Archimonde did to him, his body is completely destroyed."

She saw that, but couldn't accept it. What lay before her was a complete mess. The armour crushed in places. Bones stuck out through skin. Flesh had been torn away from bone in places. Blood covered all, but none poured from the wounds anymore. On one leg the armour had been burned away completely along with most of the flesh beneath. But somewhere she still sensed that something of life lingered, even if it was impossible.

Others approached the broken body. Two were general Trent along with the one the general had saved by letting her ride along on his horse. Two others were both dark trolls. The dark trolls had followed Walken to the cliff, having seen Walken split away from Talgrun and head to the cliffs. One she recognised as Gar. The other she didn't recognise, but she knew by that one's clothing that he was one the Shadowtooth's shadowpriests. Gar only looked down solemnly, but the other kneeled beside Talgrun's body and inspected the wounds. But even this shadowpriest shook his head when looking up at her.

She hung her head, keeping the tear that rolled over her cheek from their view. Slowly the others started leaving, inspecting their surroundings and peering down the narrow passage that might take them to the Horde defence. Zarius was the last to leave and even then he sat down on a rock not far, so he could continue looking at them. Only Walken remained where he was, bearing a look that seemed to ask when Xani would continue trying. Even when a unending series of explosions in the distance caught the attention of most, he kept looking at her and Talgrun.

Her hand went to her own wound. Fresh blood covered it when she looked at the hand._Talgrun wouldn't let a wound as this deter him! He would just try anyway, even if the outcome seems decided! As should I! _So she pushed away the pain and restarted her prayers to Elune. Light as before shone around her hands. As she put her hands down onto his chest, the light spread out across his torso.

"Xani. . ." Zarius said as he sighed heavily. "Please, you'll only endanger yourself.

Not heeding his words, she continued. Bones that had been sticking out through flesh retreated back into it and mended. Flesh that had been missing returned. Organs within slowly found their individual pieces, which had been torn away, and returned to where they were supposed to be. But then she faltered. The light vanished. An immense strain tugged on her mind, the strain she had felt before when she was overextending herself.

"Please, stop this foolishness!" Zarius pleaded, fearing for his daughter's safety. "See? You can't do anything for him. Even if you heal the body, the spirit will still be absent."

"No. . ." She said simply. "This armour must be taken of." She patted the chest armour. "It's pushing into his body." The armour had been dented so much it prevented the ribs from going back into their original position. As if knowing what she meant, Walken went to work on leather straps with his thick fingers. The armour came loose, revealing a worse mess than she had thought to find. She almost faltered in her will to heal upon seeing the chest that was more a mess of bones, flesh and burned skin mixed randomly together. The thin leather shirt Talgrun had worn underneath his armour had been scorched away almost completely, and the skin underneath as well.

She collected her will again and went to work together with a now slightly troubled looking Walken, who looked away from the chest whenever he could. She had seen dead soldiers who had died of chest wounds that seemed but scratches to this. How Talgrun had managed to breath, let alone stand up straight, in this condition was beyond her understanding.

But after minutes of continuous healing even the ribs went back into place. Flesh organised itself within and new skin covered everything up, although the many scars remained. She didn't have the strength to do anything about them. When she was finished, she noticed Zarius had crouched beside and was now looking on full of expectation.

All wounds were healed. All wounds but one. The one where the mind was still missing. The body, now fairly whole again, remained inanimate. There was no breathing, no heart slowly pounding within the chest upon which she still held her hands. Now Walken hung his head, disappointed. Zarius again put a hand on her shoulder. "Sorry. . . But you can't save everybody."

Zarius got up and stepped away behind some boulders, also hanging his head.

Walken muttered something under his breath, something in his own native language. In the end she ended up hanging her head as well. Not caring that Walken was there to see it, tears spilled over her cheeks. Exhaustion took hold. She gave in easily, not seeing the point in not doing so anymore. She fell forward, landing on Talgrun's chest. Her head lay on top massive muscles of which one was stronger than her entire body. But those muscle were still now, unmoving. Her tears pooled in crevices created by the muscles and thick scars on top the skin.

Only barely conscious of her actions, she absently healed the minor wound in her own side. "Please. . ." She whispered softly. Not knowing what else to say, she repeated it several times.

Eternities past like that, or at least that was what it seemed like to her. Beside her Walken did not move either, only looking solemnly. A sound she took for a startling, Walken perhaps, reached her, but she didn't pay it any attention. A hand touched her on her back. Walken's judging by the size of it.

Then she felt something that shouldn't be. The hand, it had four fingers and a thumb. She could only recall tauren having hands with two fingers and a thumb. Then she felt something else that shouldn't be. The hand was gloved, a metal glove. Walken only had some cloth wrapped around his hands to prevent the hilt of his hammer from overly chafing his hands. Something else that shouldn't be struck her. Something that she should have noticed. Her head and entire torso were slowly being lifted up and down, lifted by the chest upon which she rested.

She rose her head and looked straight into the open and aware eyes of Talgrun. "Hey. . ." He whispered softly, visibly still in pain.

She shot up immediately, weariness forgotten, and wiped away the tears. She kept wiping them away, but more came to replace the ones she wiped away. In the end she just ended up falling forward again, trying to wrap and arm around his head. "Hey. . ." She whispered back. "I. . . I. . ." But she couldn't say what she wanted to say. A gloved hand softly caressed her on her shoulder. A while passed like this, one she'd extend as long as possible, but his breathing became uneven. She withdrew and asked, the priestess in her having surfaced again, "What's wrong?"

"I think you might have missed a rib. . ." He whispered, still painfully.

She searched for the answer to the pain, and quickly came to a simple conclusion. "It's not that. You just need to rest. . . A lot."

He nodded, almost closing his eyes to try to sleep, visibly exhausted. But then the eyes shot open. "I suspect we're still to close to the Legion?" Xani only nodded. "Help me up then, we need to get going." His head turned to a baffled looking Walken and, almost merrily despite the pain, he said, "Walken!" Both the tauren and Xani helped the stricken orc up. Once he stood he readily remained so, but Xani kept supporting him, even though she could not possibly support his weight if necessary, she just wanted to be close to him. "How are _you_?" He asked then.

"Better, now. . . How does standing feel?"

"I felt like every bone in my body was broken when I was still lying down, I feel worse now, but otherwise I'm fine." He held her close for a moment. Then an inevitable change came, one that came far to quickly to Xani's liking. The change to military Talgrun. "So who else is here besides Walken? I hear voices." Xani quickly summed up who and how many she didn't know by name. She was done quickly. "Alright. . . Go on, I'll follow." She did as asked and Walken followed.

Beyond the boulders behind which her father had disappeared she found the other survivors. They looked up, sad faces on them all. But then nearly all lower jaws present fell open as one, just as all eyes suddenly opened wide in surprised at the same time. They stared at Talgrun as if seeing someone who had risen from the dead, which was truth.

"Gar. . ." Talgrun said, nodding to the troll. "General Trent. . . Captain Songwind. . ." And lastly he greeted the one who nearly bowled him over in joy. "Sasha. . ."

Trent was the first to recover his composure and close his mouth, but Zarius was the first to speak. "You did it! How?!" He asked Xani.

"Perseverance." Was her simple answer.

Before anybody could say anything else, Talgrun approached Xani. "By the way. . . Thanks." His eyes said more than his words ever could. Xani would have said she doubted she had been the one to do final reanimating, but there was no time. Perhaps another time.

General Trent in the mean time might have regained his outward composure, but within there raged a battle of feelings. To Trent, Talgrun was far to bothersome, having crossed the general to often during strategic meetings. Yet he also knew the value of the veteran orc. And perhaps he, somewhere, had a little bit of respect for the orc as well. Still, whatever he felt about the orc, it was nothing compared to his confusion. _He was dead! This is not possible! _Talgrun had been hit by the might of Archimonde, there was no way on this world that one could recover from that. Yet the evidence sat before him that there was at least a very slim possibility.

Beside him, another was most likely thinking the same thing. The woman, whom he had rescued from the battlefield not long before, looked to him and asked almost at a whisper so Talgrun or anybody else wouldn't hear, "But, wasn't he dead? The sort of dead where revival ain't possible no more."

"You'd think that. . . But he's done more such things."

* * *

Early - Day 10

The Horde defence was in disarray, and warlord Firetusk was right in the middle of the storm. It wasn't in disarray because of anything the Legion did, not directly at least. It was in disarray because of miscommunication. Communication between factions was lacking. Tension between factions had build up.

Everybody blamed everybody for the now reduced to dust Alliance defence. At the front, Horde and Alliance no longer communicated. Not because they couldn't understand each other, there were plenty of warriors who could speak both orcish and common, but because of enmity. Years of animosity got the better of them. The arguments in the 'command grove' had spilled over to many of the officers at the frontlines.

The night-elves no longer had any quick capability to communicate with the other factions on the front, though they still did so in the magically enchanted 'command grove'. There was one other method for them to speak to the other factions, albeit a lengthy method. The elves could speak with the dark trolls, to those that could speak night-elven at least, who could in turn speak with the trolls of the Horde, who could then speak to the orcs. But even the night-elves were falling to arguments and no longer wished to speak to the other factions through those they had hunted for millennia.

Gralger hadn't been there when the factions had finally descended into bickering about blame, he had been on the front for the past two days. It might have been avoided if Thrall, Jaina, Tyrande or Malfurion had been there, but the latter two had been scouting a possible advantage in the terrain while the previous two had been on the front working on some sort of spell. There had been a few who had kept insisting to not bicker about what was past, but the others had been far to eager to finally be able to argue with what were once sworn enemies. The grove had nearly become a battlefield itself.

As far as Gralger was concerned, those officers who had started the argument should have spend more time at the frontlines. There they would have come to appreciate the presence of the others, as he did now. Now not even the leaders of the various factions could get their officers to work together. All those now at the frontlines would rather stay there to face the demons rather than retreat to face the bureaucracy of those officers.

One of the few things the various bickering officers could agree upon, though, was that the losses at the Alliance defence had been devastating. Especially the loss of general Trent and Talgrun were considered hard blows. There were more generals, possibly even of Trent's strategic brilliance, but few were willing to stand at the frontlines with their warriors, as Trent did. The loss of Talgrun was considered far greater. The orc's ability to speak to all factions equally, along with his seeming indifference regarding who he was talking to, had made him a well valued 'asset' at the frontlines, where he had often become the centre of communication between factions. The veteran orc might not have known as much, but he was known to almost everybody on the mountain.

There was only one group of warriors that kept working well with the other factions, the mixed regiments. One called captain William farwealt, who acted far above his rank of captain, commanded what remained of those and kept them in between the Horde and Alliance forces, successfully creating a buffer between the two forces. Kargagtha had begun working together with William the day before, integrating her own warriors into his regiments to strengthen them. Eventually though those regiments would become so thinned out that they would not be able to keep acting as a buffer. Already the mixed regiments had suffered far greater losses than the others. The demons seemed intend upon eliminating those who worked well together.

There were two things Gralger could remain positive about, though. First was the fact they hadn't retreated a single time while at the Horde defence. The minefield had kept the Legion at bay for most of the first day, until the Legion's eredar warlocks decided to just blow up the entire minefield by means of a massive rain of infernals. After the minefield had failed the many catapults managed to keep the Legion thinned out greatly before any of the demons could reach the frontlines.

The second was that a new group of allies had joined them. While venturing to check out a possible advantage in the terrain, Tyrande and Malfurion had discovered a tribe of furbolgs, a race of large bear-like creatures. Furbolgs were not particularly smart, as Gralger quickly found out, but they understood well enough the necessity to aid the defenders. Also, the furbolgs possessed a strength only rivalled by that of the tauren. The furbolgs had strengthened the lines greatly.

By Gralger's estimations the current defence would not need to be abandoned today, but as insurance he already had plans ready if it were necessary anyway. The palisade walls and towers of the current defence were battered, crushed in places, from continuous attacks from magic and infernals. The Legion had taken on the habit of dropping an infernal onto the palisade walls and towers.

"Warlord!" One of his aides called out, pulling him from his reviewing of what had let up to this moment, something he considered a bad trait. The aide pointed at a set of cliffs to the south. "There is something there!"

The aide threw him the binoculars he had used to spot whatever it was he had spotted. Gralger brought the device to his eyes and looked through them. With them he investigated the cliffs. The area the aide had indicated was beyond the frontlines. The warriors on the right flank would have to push forward several hundred feet to reach that area. But for what he saw he might well have given that order. "Talgrun. . ." He muttered under his breath. Indeed the large orc was standing there on top of a massive boulder, waving his arms at them, using another boulder to shield himself from the Legion's eyes. Something seemed different about the orc though, something he couldn't see at this distance even with the binoculars.

Another appeared._General Trent! _This was great news. Perhaps those two could return some order to the many commanders. If they could actually get back. There were about a thousand demons in between them and the frontlines.

His mind worked quickly, trying to formulate a plan. He had made lists in his mind, one of his strengths, of the capabilities of those under his command. The warriors would not be able to push that far towards the demons, so it would have to fall to something else to create a breach great enough. Siege equipment wouldn't suffice. Only magic remained. But spells of such magnitude would tax the spellcasters greatly. He decided it was worth taxing the spellcasters. All of these decisions had taken place in mere seconds.

"Get me Brerark!" He shouted at one of his aides. The aide was of immediately to get the senior shaman. It didn't take long at all for the shaman to arrive. The elder orc, although old and physically no longer capable of combat, was still one of the most powerful shamans in the Horde. "I need a path to the right, along the side of the cliffs." He quickly explained the reasons, and thus that the spells should not affect that particular collection of boulders where Talgrun and Trent were.

"I belief we can manage it. The path will not be open for long, but perhaps long enough." The shaman was of again to his fellow shamans.

Gralger remained vigilant of any change to the right, even while he kept organising the defence. For minutes nothing happened. The demons had not yet noticed the figures hiding amongst the boulders, the warlord had now seen there were several more through his binoculars.

Then, without warning, the ground all along the cliffs to the right seemed to explode. The rocks, sand and even the sparse trees were blasted upward. And along with the ground went the many demons and undead. They flew upward, screaming their frustration. Their screams changed to fear when they descended, for the long gash in the ground awaited them like a massive maw. The demons and undead fell into the gash, after which the bits of rocks, sand and such fell back into place. The landscape seemed unchanged. The way was now clear, but would only remain such for a few seconds. Yet the demonic Horde did not freely flow into the now empty space, for they couldn't. At the left side of where the gash had been, a massive wall of boulders had been thrown up. The boulder had seemingly pulled themselves from the ground and had piled on top one another. There was now something akin to a corridor.

Only a few seconds later, after the initial surprise, those who had been trapped started down the new corridor. Just before they reached the frontlines, the walls collapsed. Demons and undead attempted to chase them down, but they were to quick. A short-lived cheer arose amongst the right side of the defence when the small group arrived. Relief overwhelmed the warlord upon seeing the group climb the slope towards him.

They looked ragged and underfed, not strange since they had been out there for two days without a lot of food. Talgrun in particular looked badly. And now Gralger also saw what had seemed different about the far taller orc. Talgrun's chest armour was missing, or at least not where it was supposed to be. Gralger almost had to look away from the chest, for the many fresh looking scars belied wounds of immense proportions. Talgrun seemed to notice the warlord's stare and crossed his arms in front of his chest, the thick arms obscuring the scars underneath.

"Situation?" Talgrun asked coldly, pleasantries could be reserved for later.

* * *

A/N: Well, he ain't dead yet. . . Maybe next time. 


	34. Chapter 32: Suicidal

**Chapter 32: Suicidal**

Evening - Day 14

They walked briskly through the higher, still untouched, forests of mount Hyjal, discussing their plans. They paid no attention to the many warriors around them who were resting from another long day of fighting. Night might give somewhat of respite against the Legion, but the late hours were far from silent ones. Even now the sounds of battle could be heard far up the mountain.

"So you know what to do, William? You'll be in command in my absence." Talgrun asked.

William nodded curtly, not liking what had led up to this. "I've had some practise. I'll manage."

"I'm counting on it." He turned to the other who walked on his other side. "And you, commander? You know what to do as well?"

"The very best of the night-elven race will be ready and waiting within two hours." Kaylin answered quickly, just as strict as ever.

The two officers then left his presence and went to do their respective duties. Talgrun went on walking for a while, enjoying what remained of the tranquillity of the forest, knowing it might be the last time he had a chance to do so, ever. He left all others behind, letting himself get somewhat lost in the forest.

There was nobody else around when he noticed a slim shape approach from out of the shadows. He knew who it was before he could have seen anything particular about this elf, for what other night-elf would go through the trouble of tracking him down in a forest. Yet he was only glad about her presence for the first few seconds. Upon seeing her face, one already weary from another day of healing, he immediately knew Xani was not intend upon making this a pleasant occasion.

Before he could say anything, Xani shouted, "You are NOT going on that mission! It's suicide! Everybody knows it is!"

"Xani, please. . . Just--"

"NO! I did not pull you back from the dead just so you can throw your life away on some useless mission!" She softened somewhat. "I can't stand the thought of you dying, again."

Now it was Talgrun's turn to get somewhat angered, although he found he couldn't truly get angry with Xani. "You call it useless? If my plan succeeds, it'll surely reunite the factions long enough to defend the mountain, and it'll give us all a much needed rest."

"Except you! You'll be dead! Along with Kaylin and fifty others who will DIE!"

"A small price to pay for two days of rest in which otherwise thousands would have died." He did not truly like it, but pure logic told him it was a sound plan. "Look, it's not that I suddenly desire to die. Now I'd much rather live for those days you have given me, but there is no one else who can take my place. I am the only who can command a bunch of such diversity."

Xani sighed heavily. It was hard for her to maintain her anger, she wanted desperately for him to stay. Her own logic told her there was no chance of convincing him to do so. She was fighting an impossible battle. Her knees buckled. She fell down onto her knees. "Please don't go. . ." She whispered, blinking away a tear at same time.

Talgrun sat down next to her, a hand resting upon her shoulder. "I have to. . ."

"It's that there is a dreadlord down there, isn't it? You think it's Dethrox."

"A bit, but I wouldn't do it if it were just for him." Xani fell sideways, her head coming to rest against his upper arm. They sat like that for a while, waiting for the other to start talking, while hoping that moment wouldn't be soon. But eventually it was Talgrun who whispered first. "Look. . . Since I'll most likely not come back--"

"Don't say that."

Talgrun sighed, but then continued. "I want you to keep this with you." He unlatched a small bag which hung from his belt and put it in front of Xani, who refrained from picking it up. "I think you know what's in there. I don't want the Legion to get their hands on it."

She stared at the bag as it was the definite evidence that Talgrun was already dead and that the thing sitting next to her was just a memory. "I. . . I can't do that. That's yours."

"You have to. . . Well, I could give it to William, he already knows about what's in there. . . But I'd much rather have you have it." He picked up the bag and put it into her hands. She wanted to let go of it, but he forced her fingers to curl around the bag. It was to her the confirmation that Talgrun already considered himself a dead man walking. She gave up her struggles to let go of the bag and brought it up to her chest. "Thank you. . ." He whispered.

"But then I want you to have this." Around her neck had always hung a necklace, one every priestess had. She now pulled it over her head and let what had always been hidden underneath clothing or armour to appear. The necklace wasn't much more than a thin silver chain with a symbol attached to it. A crescent moon. The symbol of Elune. She put it into his opened hand, letting the chain coil around itself like a snake. "That symbol means a lot to me. I would like it back."

Talgrun peered at the crescent moon. A wry smile appeared around his mouth. "Then I had better try to get it back to you." He rose the chain and put it around his neck, letting the crescent moon disappear underneath his armour. "There is one more thing. I will not be riding Sasha for this. . . Mission. I would like you to take care of her until. . . If I ever get back."

"I will."

A comforting pat on her shoulder was his reply along with, "Thanks." His gaze shifted skyward. "I should be of, I still have many things to do before I need to leave." He stood up and had already turned away from her.

She shot up, knees firm again. "Wait!" His shoulders sagged, he'd much rather end the goodbye there, instead of drawing it out even more. She walked up to him, coming within mere inches, but then lost the will to do what she had wanted. It would mean she truly did not belief he would return. There was a small chance he would, one she would hang on to. She hung her head.

His enormous body turned around to her. Two fingers placed underneath her chin brought her head back up. His head tilted toward her, his forehead coming to rest against hers. An eternity passed in a single second in which both had closed their eyes. Talgrun's right hand came up, his thumb gently brushing her cheek.

But before it could go on, Talgrun withdrew. He smiled briefly, but then finally turned and walked away. Xani's knees buckled once more, or perhaps she just wanted to sit down, she was to distraught to care. She heard a roar of rage come from not far within the forest, Talgrun's way of dealing with the inner pain. A thud followed as a thin tree hit the ground.

* * *

Evening - Day 14

"you have to let me come along!" Walken pleaded.

Talgrun had only just returned from the forest when he had been intercepted by the huge tauren. "I can't let you." Talgrun retorted, annoyed. "This has to be done by the very best we have."

"You saying I'm not good enough at killing demons!?" Walken demanded.

"No. You kill demons just fine, but this also requires a certain amount of stealth. I can't have a tauren that is larger than a tree ruin that just for the sake of killing of demons! This is not about killing demons! It's about keeping them away from the summit as long as possible!" He gestured up the mountain to where the World Tree rose into the sky.

"But I _need_ to come along!" Walken pleaded again, sounding far less rational now.

"WALKEN! Get this through that thick skull of yours! YOU ARE NOT COMING ALONG! If you want to be suicidal you can do that at the front! You don't need me for that!" All of the tranquillity that was a tauren's usual demeanour was completely gone. Walken seemed ready to explode with rage, but somehow managed to contain himself. "Do you understand?!"

"Yes!" Walken blurted, rage venting out with the word. The tauren then abruptly turned and stomped away, shaking the ground as he went.

* * *

Early - Day 15

The group of fifty had already left. The battle started in earnest once more. Still the Horde defences held, although they were now at the very topmost defences. Everything below was dead. Trees were nonexistent where the Legion had gone. Bodies, mostly demons and undead, were piled on top one another everywhere below the ranks of defenders. Tens, if not hundreds or more, of thousands of dead demons and undead littered the slopes of mount Hyjal. During momentary lapses in the battle one might see small rivers of demonic blood flowing down the slopes. It would take years if not decades for this mountain to fully recover from the horrors the Legion had wrought upon it.

But now the mountain would fight back under guidance of the druids. Most had been busy with the preparation of the trap at the top of Hyjal, a trap which still needed several days to be completed. But now several druids, including Malfurion Stormrage himself, had been released from the preparation to work a significant spell to aid the defenders. At least this day the Horde defence needed to hold. If not, the sacrifice those fifty were undoubtedly going to make would be for naught.

Xani was already busy with an injured human when the druids started their spellwork not far from where she was. She was one of the many working to heal the many who had already fallen injured. This human already had suffered through several wounds, as Xani could clearly tell by the many fresh looking scars on his arms and legs. Now it was a badly mangled right hand and crushed left arm that needed healing. The left still had a shield attached to it, it had almost become fused with the metal, which had been bent all around the arm.

She went to work quickly, while every now and then glancing towards the druids. A strong wind blew around the druids, yet they weren't affected by it. They communed with nature, muttering in a language Xani could not understand. Yet even Xani, who had not one iota of druidic talent, could sense the immense powers at play around the druids. At the centre of the circle the druids had created, stood Malfurion Stormrage. The archdruid directed the other druids in their spells.

The human woke from his pain induced unconsciousness as both wounds were healed. The human got up and thanked her in his own language, looked around uncertain of what to do, and then ran of to get a new weapon and rejoin the battle below.

Before Xani could look for another to heal, a trembling distracted her. Not a trembling of her own body, but of the ground. For a moment she thought it might be the result of what the fifty damned elite were supposed to accomplish, but it wasn't. It was the roots of the many trees which still stood. The forest giants uprooted themselves, infused with an energy and agility trees should not be able to posses. The roots burst from the ground, providing feet and legs of sorts. Further up the mountain a large part of the forest uprooted itself. The trees around Xani also uprooted and turned what was apparently their front towards the Legion below. And on lower parts of mountain, any trees which still stood uprooted as well. Then, as one, the forest giants started moving with a speed that amazed everybody who had the presence of mind and the time to look for more than two seconds at the often gigantic trees. Branches seemed to deform into limbs akin to arms as they went.

The trees moved at a pace akin to a night-elf running, and night-elves could run considerably faster than a human or orc. The many mortal beings in their path quickly cleared the way for them. The often more than a hundred feet tall trees barrelled into the demons. Only infernals stood a chance against these giants, their flames setting more than a few on fire. But through spellwork of the defenders many of those flames were quickly put out and the forest giants were left to cause an amount of carnage amongst the demons which the defenders had never before managed to cause.

The forest giants fought with a fury fuelled by nature itself. Nature itself had been hurt deeply by the demons and now sought to pay the Legion back tenfold. Thousands of the giants crashed into the demons, but they did not go to far into the ranks of demons, acting as reinforcements for the mortal defenders.

The Legion seemed to have at least momentarily lost interest in the mortals defending the mountain, they were now concentrating fully upon the woodland giants. But even if one of them went down, the tree managed to take many demons down with it by falling on top of them.

"Xani!" jonno called, rousing her from her fascination with the forest giants. "People need tending to!" The elder priest pointed towards a group of injured who had only just arrived. But even as she attempted to heal the new injured, she kept an eye on the giants and what was further down the slope.

Hours passed and the woodland giants began falling by greater numbers. Still, more of them remaining upright and continued to aid the defenders. Further down the slope was something else that was of interest to Xani. A bottleneck in the main passage up the mountain. The defenders had held there for a long time, using the bottleneck to full advantage. Now it would aid the defenders further if the fifty elite who had gone down the mountain could manage to complete their mission. _Make it work, Talgrun._

* * *

Afternoon - Day 15

He certainly intended that. He looked back into the narrow passage from where they had come. Fifty certain to die men and women were following. A group consisting of twenty night-elves, nearly all female, warfare having long been the dominion of women in night-elven society. They were masters of stealth, swords and bows. There was only one priestess who was there only to keep Talgrun alive, for it was he who needed to be the centre of the entire group.

Further there was a group of six dwarves. They were key to the whole assignment. In their backpacks they carried enough explosives to 'blow up half the mountain', as they put it.

The rest consisted of the very best fighters all factions had to offer, while maintaining the capability to remain unnoticed. There were orcish blademasters, orcs who could easily beat the best of the best of the night-elves at fighting with swords. Human paladins, who could cast shields over themselves and heal others should such be necessary, as well as wield their various weapons with deadly efficiency. And last but not least a cadre of mages which could equal, if not surpass, Jaina Proudmoore herself. One among them Talgrun already knew. The mage who had been one of those send to kidnap Grom, and who had also been trapped in the Barrens stronghold when the undead had mounted a siege upon the encampment. And still Talgrun didn't know the mage's name.

But at the moment he wasn't all to interested, for they had arrived at the end of the canyon, giving them a view few would ever see. A view of what the Legion was like when battle was further than five miles away. Even then it seemed as if a massive battle was going on just in front of them. Amongst the many thousands of felguard stood the doomguard, who attempted to keep their smaller kin under control. Infernals ploughed through the ranks as they made their way up the mountain.

One figure in particular drew Talgrun's attention. A dreadlord. Squinting to see the leading demon more clearly, he quickly saw this wasn't Dethrox. The fact that this one was to tall to be Dethrox, along with the fact that this one still had both horns, quickly convinced him of that.

The passage had brought them close to their target, but they would have to move almost half a mile through demons infested territory. This was the part where the night-elves were most important.

"Alright. Commander, you know what to do." He said to Kaylin when they had taken cover behind a set of boulders. "Clear us a path best you can."

Kaylin nodded curtly in her military way and was of immediately with her twenty comrades. Those who remained behind watched for the signs that the path was being cleared. Only if one truly searched, one would see that several demons disappeared without so much as a sound behind boulders, where they would undoubtedly be killed in an efficient manner. All along the cliff such events took place, only noticed by them, the Legion remained oblivious as was the plan. _So far, so good. . . _He thought proudly to himself, glad the plan was working out so far. It was, after all, his plan. He let out a sigh of relief when all of the elves returned unharmed.

"The way is clear." Kaylin reported.

"Good, then we move out." With hand signals and whispered words he ordered the others to follow the elves along the cliffs without being seen. Even now the Legion did not detect them. They passed underneath a huge rock formation which hung over them. It was what they were here for. They again took cover behind the many boulders which were so handily placed all along the cliffs. "So? Is it doable?" He asked the lead dwarf.

The dwarf looked up at the huge rock formation, judging it's height and the angle with which it hung over them. The dwarf's eyes then flickered down towards the base of the rock formation, judging the width and strength of it, and then finally he peeked over the boulder to look upon the bottleneck. When the dwarf turned to Talgrun, confidence lined the dwarf's face. "Yes, it's doable. With carefully placed explosives, we can accomplish it. I doubt we'll need all we took with us."

"How long? You're bound to catch the Legion's attention."

"Ten minutes, perhaps fifteen, if we don't loose anybody halfway through."

"To long to my liking, but it'll have to do. Get going then, but try to delay the moment you'll be seen." The dwarf nodded and was of with his fellows. He turned to the rest and passed them his plan for buying the dwarves as much time as possible. "There is only one way in there. We can easily cover it, but we'll need to do so as long as possible. We'll create a wedge which will fit exactly in that opening. Blademasters in the tip with the paladins behind them to cover the orcs with lances, quick spells and shields. The night-elves who prefer swords will take the sides of the wedge, while their archers will remain behind the wedge to shoot at the more important demons. The mages will remain amongst the archers. Two will provide protection against the spells of the eredar while two others will take out infernals and other more dangerous demon. The remaining two will attack or defend when needed." He repeated the same for those who had not understood the first time. All agreed upon the plan.

Yet they did not put the wedge in place just yet, it would draw to much attention to them. Several minutes passed in which the dwarves remained undetected. One of them was climbing the rock formation and placed explosives in cracks in the rock, natural or stealthily created by the dwarf. The dwarf had gone completely around the formation when he leaned backwards and gave a thumbs-up to the dwarves on the ground. Then the inevitable happened. The Legion took notice. The dwarf seemed to freeze in place, a black glow emanating from his form. His mouth opened in a silent scream. Black smoke came out through the mouth. Then, with a thundering sound, the dwarf exploded into black flames. Nothing remained. It was a miracle the already placed explosives didn't explode.

A mere second later, every single demon in the Legion within a two miles radius roared out in rage. There were intruders that had to be slaughtered. _It has gone better than had ever been expected._ "WEDGE!" He roared loud enough to make a demon falter in it's steps. Most of those with him had heard the word enough times to know what it meant, and even those who hadn't knew well enough what to do. Within seconds the wedge was in place and ready to defend against the entire Legion. And not a moment to soon.

Dozens impacted the wedge and dozens died without losses to the wedge, and then this repeated, and repeated. Arrows shot towards doomguard with a deadly precision rare even amongst elves. Arrows pierced through throats, eyes even, so accurate were the archers. Bolts of frost arced from the hands of mages, connecting with infernals, who quickly froze in place. Shield spells protected the wedge from repercussions from the eredar warlocks, while paladins did much the same for themselves against physical attacks. Blades cut through the demon flesh as if there wasn't any armour protecting it at all.

Dozens of demons died, only to replaced by twice as much. Still the gathering of the best of best held the demons at bay. More minutes passed, minutes in which the wedge began faltering. The first of the blademasters was cut down, three felguards attacking at the same time when the blademasters sword had just come down after cleaving through a duo of felguards being his doom. Talgrun quickly placed himself where the blademaster had stood. Talgrun's bulk and strength was a stark contrast to the often almost thin and agile blademasters, yet he filled the void well enough. Never had he imagined himself fighting side to side with one of the legendary blademasters, let alone multiple.

More minutes passed, to many. The wedge crumbled faster and faster. Finally Talgrun withdrew from the wedge to check what was keeping the dwarves so long. "What's going on?!" He roared, only barely audible over the sounds of the battle. "How long!?"

"We've only just finished." The lead dwarf said upon getting close enough to be able to be heard above the din of battle. "There is one problem though. The one who blew up in the beginning. . . He had the detonators with him." Before Talgrun could ask whether they could still blow it up some other way, the dwarf answered that very question. "Don't worry, the explosives can be blown manually, but one of us will have stay behind." The dwarf sighed heavily, knowing full well what it meant. "I shall do it. The rest of you should at least _try_ to get out of here." Without waiting for Talgrun, the dwarf turned to his comrades and shouted. "Everybody out, I will blow the explosives!"

The dwarves quickly abandoned their tinkering, only stopping briefly in front of the lead dwarf before heading in the direction of the wedge. "It has been an honour." One said to the lead dwarf, smacking the lead dwarf on the shoulder.

"Yeah, yeah. Just get outta here, 'kay?" the rest of the dwarves gave their leader similar pats on the shoulder, until only Talgrun remained with the dwarf. "It's been an honour." The dwarf extended a hand. Talgrun took it, knowing what sacrifice the dwarf would make. He then withdrew the hand and gave the dwarf a typical orcish goodbye. The dwarf repeated it and said, "An honour. . . Now go. The blast radius will be considerable, and I'll blow it the moment I see the first demon appear around the corner!"

Talgrun left without anymore words. The wedge was in even worse shape than before, about to buckle. Talgrun quickly approached the mages. "Can you blow us a way out of here?!"

The mage Talgrun fought alongside before answered after inspecting the area for a moment. "Perhaps. It'll leave us drained though. We won't be of much use afterward."

"Do it, we won't have the slightest chance otherwise.

The mage nodded and relayed a plan to his comrades. Seconds later something akin to a series of immense explosions cut a swath through the Legion along the cliffs towards the passage. Even though Talgrun roared for them to immediately try to reach the passage, nobody really needed any encouragement. What had remained of the wedge immediately dissolved.

They charged through the opening created by mages, dodging, or countering in the case of those mages who could still do anything, any ranged attacks. It didn't take long for the Legion to fill the previously empty area again. Now they had cut their way several hundred feet through a thick mass of demons, many times needing to climb over the corpse of one of the larger demons. Here the remaining Blademasters were at their bests. They had sufficient space to move freely, without needing to worry about hitting one of their own. Like whirlwinds they cut through the Legion. Their swords left only dead or dying demons where they went.

It was now impossible for Talgrun to keep track of everybody, let alone keep some semblance of order. Most had disappeared into the swarm of demons, trying to fight their way to the side passage. Thus, Talgrun gave up trying to keep track or order and focused purely on getting to the side passage. If he made it that far, and others had made it that far as well, then he could start worrying about orders again.

Unlike the Blademasters he wasn't as agile and capable of dodging as easily as them, although he was still more agile than his huge form would suggest, and as a result suffered through many gashes all over the exposed parts of his body, but nothing he couldn't readily take. As his hammer crushed the chest armour of one doomguard, pulverizing anything that lay beneath the armour, a massive explosion rocked the ground. While many a demon fell over, Talgrun managed to remain standing. A brief glance back and he saw the explosives had been detonated, blasting away part of the cliffs, and killing dozens, if not hundreds, of demons as well.

He didn't have more time to see if their goal had been achieved, but he trusted in the dwarves's abilities to have calculated the amount of explosives right to achieve the goal. If he lived, he could check later.

The explosions worked to their advantage, many demons had fallen down, while many more were unsure what was happening. He rushed through to the side passage. There he found some had already made it. Not many, not enough to his liking, but more than he had expected.

The mage who Talgrun still didn't know by name was alive as well, but looked ready to topple over from exhaustion. Kaylin was alive as well, even she now having taken a few grazing hits on her arms and torso. Besides them, there were five more. The dwarves were gone, as were all the other mages and most of the night-elves. And all were again being attacked savagely by the Legion, and slowly being pushed through the passage.

_We can't just turn and run, they'll run us down immediately. _At least the tight quarters of the passage worked to their advantage.

"Together!" He roared. "Slowly back down the passage!"

But no matter his orders, there were to few to carry them out. The new front Talgrun had wanted never came, there were to few to create it. But for a while that didn't matter, for out of the ranks of demons stepped one in particular. At first he thought it was Dethrox, but the greater height and fewer scars of this one betrayed it wasn't. "You will pay!" The dreadlord roared at him in particular, knowing Talgrun had been the one leading the fifty elite warriors. "The master will have you in the beyond! He will tear you limb from limb and then again and again!" Talgrun almost wished that it had been Dethrox. At least he was more creative in his threats. This one just roared threats as he had heard from many other demons who had enough brains to say anything.

"Come then!" Talgrun roared back. "Perhaps he has something in store for _you_ when _you_die!"

"Fool!" The dreadlord roared back, not entirely unexpectedly. The dreadlord then gestured towards the other demons who had been bearing down on Talgrun. They immediately veered of to attack others. "Let us see if you really are as good us my brothers say!" The dreadlord shouted, this time almost sounding sane.

"Talgrun!" Kaylin shouted, he could hear her closing.

"Don't!" Talgrun warned instantly. "He's mine!"

Yet it almost seemed as if Talgrun would only survive for a single second. A bolt of shadowy energy impacted his chest, causing him to step back. It felt similar to something Dethrox had once done, but weaker. Another bolt only left a little ache where it hit. The dreadlord snorted at his spell's failures, then charged with claws raised. Repeatedly Talgrun's mace warded of the long claws, but twice the claws got past and, as if their wasn't any armour at all, left deep gashes on Talgrun chest.

Talgrun dodged the dreadlord's latest attack and then swung his hammer horizontally. It impacted the chest, but did far less damage then Talgrun had hoped for. A few ribs broke, the wind was knocked out of the dreadlord, but that was about it.

The dreadlord was still forced to stumble back. When Talgrun tried to attack, the dreadlord released a spell. From out of no where thousands of little flies and small carrion eaters appeared. A wave of hellish green energy drove the little insects forth towards Talgrun. Talgrun stumbled back numerous times as the carrion insects tore away at him. Bits of flesh were torn from the exposed parts of his body. He tried beating the insects away with his free hand, but there were far to many. Their buzzing was maddening. Their small but many teeth were painful. Then, without warning, they were gone.

Gone only in time for Talgrun to notice the dreadlord charging towards him. There was a black glow around the claws on the demon's right hand. A glow, the effect of which became clear to him when he dodged the first attack. The claws dug into the ground after Talgrun had dodged barely in time. Where ever the glow hit the ground, the ground seemed to smelt away. When the glow passed through air, it left behind it only a black glow which dissipated after a second or two.

A second upward attack Talgrun dodged as well. But Talgrun was ready for the third. This dreadlord was predictable in his attacks. As such, Talgrun had no trouble predicting how the dreadlord would attack the next time. He swung his hammer with as much might as he could muster so it would intercept the claws. The hammer intercepted the claws. And instead of the glow smelting the hammer, or the hammer destroying the claws, both simply disintegrated. The entire head of the hammer crumbled into a small shower of dust, while the dreadlord's hand almost seemed to explode into small bits. One of the claws, one not immediately destroyed by the hammer, shot outward and dug itself into Talgrun's right arm, remaining lodged there.

The dreadlord roared in pain, while Talgrun couldn't help but grunt at the destruction of his hammer. Well, it wasn't completely destroyed, he still had the shaft. The huge demon was holding it's ravaged arm with it's free hand, dark purple slime bursting from the wound in pulses akin to that of a heartbeat. Without a second thought, Talgrun stepped in close to the dreadlord, knowing that a single swipe from the demon's remaining claws could tear away his head. He grabbed a small bit of ornamentation that stuck out of the demon's armour to get a solid grip. Then, he shoved the sharp edge of the shaft into the dreadlord's chest. The shaft went through ribs, organs and finally the spine. With a resounding crack, it burst through the armour on the other side. What passed for the dreadlord's blood poured from the wound in gusts.

Knowing the dreadlord wasn't finished yet, he retracted the shaft and then shoved it upwards. It tore through the throat, entered the brain and then burst through the top of the demon's skull.

Whether it was an uncontrolled spasm, or some remaining intelligence, Talgrun didn't know, but whatever it was, it shoved the remaining claws through his gut and then threw him away. He landed hard, but no matter his pain he immediately looked to the dying demon. For a moment it looked as though the demon would remain standing, even in death, but then it suddenly exploded into a mix of green energy and the carrion insects which had attacked Talgrun before. Nothing, not even slightest remnants of skin remained, except for the claw that remained lodged in Talgrun's right arm.

He spend a few seconds studying the wounds in his gut. They were deep, perhaps all the way through, but far to the side. He couldn't help but remember once, still on Kalimdor but before they even knew Ashenvale existed, when been forced to crawl several miles with part of a centaur spear lodged in his gut. What he suffered now hurt immensely. _But if I survived then, I can get though this! _Of course then he didn't also have many gashes elsewhere and hadn't been attacked by thousands of carrion insects.

He got up and started through the passage before the demons realized the dreadlord was dead. Wielding what remained of the shaft as if it were a sword, the jagged tip served well enough as such, he slashed several demons on his way. Along the way he grabbed the collapsed but still breathing form of the mage and dragged the human along. Not far of the blade of a felguard dug itself through Kaylin's gut. She still managed to decapitate the one who had been responsible, and several others as well, but fell down not long after.

Still dragging the human, he ran over and looked for the signs that she was still alive. "Is that all you got!" She shouted at the demons, enraged beyond to point Talgrun had never expected to see. After shoving what remained of the shaft into his belt, he picked up Kaylin's sword and slashed several demons with it. The jagged edges of it cut through the demons as if they weren't even there.

Now dragging both the mage and Kaylin with his left arm, he trudged down the passage best he could. Blood poured from all three of them, mingling on the ground, but even more demonic blood was spilled from any that dared attack them. Until suddenly the demons stopped attacking altogether. To surprised by this fact, that was so unlike the nature of any demon, he didn't see the cause. A half-conscious Kaylin did see it though.

"Look!"

She pointed back down the passage, to where they had come from. There, just outside the passage stood a demon so large it couldn't fit through the passage.

"You again!" Archimonde said to them, the remaining three, but mainly at Talgrun. "You are more trouble than almost anything I have seen before!" Archimonde stated, his voice betraying anger unimaginable.

"GLAD TO HEAR IT!" Talgrun roared back. "You should really learn to check your kills!" He added.

Archimonde let loose something akin to a chuckle and then said, "Not necessary this time. . ." The archdemon raised his arms and pointed at the high cliffs lining the side passage. "Not necessary. . ." Archimonde stated again as the rock gave way to some unseen spell. The cliffs on both sides collapsed.

Before the first boulder had even hit, Talgrun had already turned and started running as fast as he could whilst dragging two others. Not all of the passage was collapsing, but he wouldn't make it that far. Still, he tried to make it as far as he could. A boulder hit the ground just behind Talgrun, making him stumble. He was almost at the edge. Knowing he couldn't make it while dragging those other two, he flung them forward. Kaylin screamed something akin to a curse, while the human remained absolutely silent.

Wind brushed along his neck. He looked up at the boulder approaching. It headed straight for him.

"Oh. . . Damn it all to--"

The boulder hit.


	35. Chapter 33: The Long Wait

**Chapter 33: The Long Wait**

Afternoon - Day 15

A cheer, unlike any heard on the mountain before, rose amongst the defenders as the explosions in the distance were visible. The high outcropping which rose over the bottleneck in the main passage tipped sideways. It didn't collapse as it did so. It just tipped over like a tree falling over after the final blow had been dealt. It fell exactly as Xani knew was the plan. Upon hitting the ground, a great dust cloud engulfed the area, making it impossible to see whether the goal had been accomplished. Fortunately the many spellcasters were in some way capable of sensing whether it had. And they said it had.

An even louder cheer arose, now even Xani joined in. The newly created barrier would barricade the entire main passage at the bottleneck. Spellcasters immediately went to work, casting shield spell after shield at the new barrier, to make sure it would hold against the Legion's warlocks and other spellcasters as well. Now what remained of the demons between the new barricade and the defenders would be cut down easily.

But that wasn't something for Xani to worry about, she went back to her duties. However, she found she couldn't quite keep her attention focused on healing the many wounded as she should. Some part of her, even as she almost automatically went from wounded soldier to wounded soldier, kept thinking about those who had gone down there to accomplish this small miracle. Two in particular kept her busy. One her commander, the other dearer to her than any other.

Many hours had passed when one came standing next to her. She had been sitting on a rock she for the moment had claimed as her own, trying to clean some of the blood away that had spilled from the many wounded on to her armour. Next to her lay the wolf Sasha, resting also from carrying Xani to the most critically wounded all day long. A hand came to rest on her shoulder. Half a minute passed before she was aware of the touch to look up. "Xani. . ." Her father said. "The last of the demons have been cleared away and rested healers have arrived. You can rest for a while. The barricade will keep the demons away for a long while." Xani only nodded. Zarius had been the temporary commander of the Silverblades in Kaylin's absence, and he looked to be in the same state as all the other Silverblades, who had spend all day on the front.

Distracted by her inner thoughts and exhaustion, she slowly trudged up the slopes, followed by Sasha. One hand rested on a the small bag which hung from her belt. She hadn't dared to look into it yet. Only barely was she aware of the others who were walking in the same direction as she. They all eventually reached their goal. Without being really aware of her actions, she had walked into a clearing. A clearing with the forest on one side, and cliffs on the other. The ground went somewhat downhill towards the cliffs. There was an opening in the cliffs, a narrow canyon. The canyon Xani realized, after having been sitting at the edge of the forest for several minutes, was the one into which the group of fifty of the best had disappeared.

Several hundred were sitting in the clearing, many eyeing the canyon, hoping the missing fifty would suddenly stumble out of it. A few hours passed in which Xani regained some of her strength. Many came to wait in the clearing, while many others left. At one point even Tyrande, Malfurion, Thrall and Jaina were there to do their share of waiting. They were eventually called away, but Xani felt better that even they thought there was a possibility that at least some of the fifty had survived.

Day became night. By now the fifty should have made it back, given the fact they had set the same pace back as they had done on the way there. Knowing there might be injured amongst them, Xani held on to the hope they were forced to go slower. During the night many left. Past midnight there was only Xani remaining. All others had either left to get some sleep or food, or had been called away by an officer. Nobody had come for Xani, so she had remained where she was, alone. Well, not quite alone. Sasha remained beside her, eyeing the canyon almost without blinking. Hunger was slowly getting to her, but she knew she had been through longer periods without food, so she remained where she was.

The bag was in her hands, the bag which Talgrun had given her. He fingers toyed with leather fabric of it. Several times she almost opened it up and looked inside, but she always stopped herself at the last moment.

She almost jumped up in surprise when someone sat down next to her without warning. "How are you doing?" Came Jonno's voice. The older priest, one of the very few male ones, presented her with some fruit and a sack of water. She took the fruit and sack and softly thanked him for it. "I expected you'd still be out here. . . So I brought you something." He gave her a knowing look, but said nothing.

After drinking half of the water, she asked, "So who are you here for? I doubt you came here just to give me some food and water."

"True. I'm here for the commander." Xani looked at him questioningly, looking for an explanation. Jonno chuckled at her look and then said, "The commander and I were already halfway through our lives, when night-elves still aged that is, when we first met decades before the Legion first invaded. The least I can do for someone I have known for that long is to wait here until it is absolutely certain she isn't coming back."

Minutes passed in which they said nothing and just looked at the canyon some two hundred feet away. It was Xani who finally broke the silence. "So. . . How did you two meet?"

"It's strange, thinking of it now. . ." Jonno answered after thinking for a while. "It's been, well, thousands of years since I did that. It was somewhere that doesn't exist anymore. It was blasted away by the Sundering, when the Legion was defeated so long ago. She had already been captain then, dedicated to her duties, dedicated to proof that a woman could be just as good a soldier as a man. To dedicated I belief, thinking of it now. She's been a soldier since the very moment she was old enough. You have to remember, that was in a time when the military was still almost exclusively for men, instead of it being the other way around like it is now. . ." He chuckled briefly, but then continued.

"She had been injured by, well. . . I don't remember anymore. I belief it was some forest creature that had been spooked by her and the other soldiers that had been with her. They came by a small village, where there was a small temple to Elune. A temple where I was as dedicated to proof men could make good priests, as she was dedicated to proof women could be soldiers. . ."

"That's where you met?"

Jonno nodded, then chuckled. "Right time, right place. . . To much dedication. . ." After he muttered that, he went on with his story. "After that we met twice in similar situations. Turned out she was stationed in a nearby village and had to often carry out patrols in a somewhat dangerous area, which brought her close to the village where I lived."

"Then the Legion invaded. We were both lucky enough to survive the first waves of demons, and the rest of the war as well. I think the commander lost a large part of. . . Well. . . Herself in that war. The times I met her since then, usually during some smaller war. . . Well, there was almost nothing of the captain remaining, just the cold almost emotionless commander remained. Since then she's only gotten worse. Sometimes I wonder whether she is even still alive, not just some husk housing only a military mind. Then I see something that reminds me, that underneath that miles thick shell of emotionless outward appearance, there is something still there."

"You're not to different, at times. . ." Xani muttered.

Instead of being offended, as Xani had expected him to be, he chuckled lightly and then said, "I know. . . I know I can be just as cold as she." He had been looking around the clearing for a while when he stood up and said, "I'm going to sit over there. . ." He gestured towards a nearby tree. "That looks like a comfortable spot. If I fall asleep and they arrive, please wake me." He sat down next to the tree, leaning against it as comfortably as possible. Not long after he was asleep.

When she was certain he slept, she took the bag in her hands again. After unwinding a short leather strap, she opened to top. Inside was the crystal, as she had expected. It glowed softly. _Perhaps it is bound to him. . . And as long as he lives, it'll glow! _She thought hopefully. _Unless of course it always glows and that that is it's only special property._ Her hopes sank again. It was surprisingly calming to look at it. The soft blue pulsing of the glow was surprisingly comforting. For a while she forgot the recent events. Finally she managed to tear herself from the alluring glow and realized it had felt almost addicting. Already she wished to look at it, hold it close to her skin. Quickly she put it back into the bag.

She heard something crumble as she did so, though. She reached back into the bag and took out what had created the crumbling sounds. It was a bit of paper. On it was a faded drawing. But no matter how faded it was, she instantly recognised it. She had drawn this some two months ago. A picture of Talgrun. It was no longer recognisable that what was drawn was Talgrun, but she could still recall what it had looked like before.

She quickly stuffed the drawing back into the bag and replaced the leather strap when she heard someone stepping into the clearing. Sasha remained unmoving as the new person sat down next to Xani. "I thought I might find you here. . ." Her father muttered. "Well. . . For the moment we have plenty of time to rest. They expect the new barricade to hold for perhaps two days. Two days of rest." Zarius sighed as if rest was something last experienced long ago. "Catapults continue to fire across the barrier and spell casters--"

"Please. . . I don't want to know."

"Sorry. . ." He waited for a while, an inner battle of thoughts consuming his attention. Eventually he said matter-of-factly, "You care for him."

"What?!"

"Please. Anybody who takes the time to see will recognise the looks. . . Do you care for him?"

Xani sighed, feeling forced to answer with, "Yes, I do." But she immediately followed it up with. "Don't tell me who to care about, father! I can figure that out myself!"

"I wasn't going to say anything about that. In fact, you could choose far worse amongst the night-elves." Xani's mouth almost fell open in surprise that he had said that, something that made her father smile. "He may be an orc, and perhaps the ultimate orc at that, physically, but as far as I can tell, he's also smarter and more considerate than most night-elves." He remained quiet, thinking about what to say next. "But do you really think he'll be coming back from this? They went into the hart of the Legion's forces. They may have managed to accomplish their goal, but that was as far as they were expected to get."

"Don't tell me their dead! Because you don't know if they are!"

"I'm not saying they're dead, just that they most likely are."

"To you that is the same thing!" She retorted immediately. "Talgrun's survived more than you can imagine."

"I know. . . Almost everybody on this mountain knows about how much he's survived. Particularly the fact he was _dead_. The champion of the Horde has become more than just that. To the ordinary soldier he is proof that we can _win_ this war!" Xani had not known so much. Most of the time she was either to busy with healing or to exhausted to listen to such things. "But there is a limit."

"He's not dead! He's coming back!"

"Alright then. You belief that. But what if he does come back, hmm? We somehow win this war, what then?" Xani had already opened her mouth to answer, but her father answered for her. "I'll tell you what will happen. Orcs will go back to being orcs in their own lands and we night-elves will go back to being night-elves in our forests. That's what will happen!" Xani stood up and walked away from her father. "What, did you have something else in mind, then?"

"DAD!" She shouted. She kept herself looking away from him, not wanting him to see the tears that had started welling up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry, but the world is what it is. I'm just trying to save you from the disappointment and trouble you'll have later. Do you understand what I am trying to do? It has nothing to do with him personally!"

"I do. . ."

She felt his hands on her shoulders. Her head tilted to the side, coming to lie on one of the rugged hands. "But for the moment. . . Let's wait until we are certain he won't return." Zarius guided her back to where they had been sitting. There they continued to wait for hours. Night became early morning, the sun illuminating several high mountain peaks in the distance.

When the sun only just begun to bath the clearing in early morning light, a new group entered the clearing. Xani didn't have any trouble recognising them. Walken she recognised fastest, his immense height unique even amongst tauren. William and Björn were also there. Four other orcs were there as well, only two of whom she recognised. Kargagtha and the warlord. The warlord left after only a short while, undoubtedly because of his duties as warlord. One of the remaining two orcs she didn't recognise seemed to be far to young to wear the armour he did, but hadn't Talgrun told her they had been forced to take some drastic measures to bolster their numbers. The other would have been almost as tall as Talgrun if he had stood straight, there was an immense stoop to his pose. It wasn't because he was old, more that he was used to carrying or dragging heavy loads.

Xani heard them talk about Talgrun several times. They seemed just as steadfast in their dedication to waiting for any sign of Talgrun or the others as she was. Hours passed and they remained where they were, waiting. They had taken some crude game with them, but were often distracted from it as they stared at the canyon.

"Why are you here, Kirrax?" Kargagtha asked of the older peon-turned-warrior. She had given up despising the previously lower caste orcs who had managed to become warriors.

"I belief the entire Horde would be here if they had even smallest bit of the respect I have for the champion." The large orc said almost as if referring to some deity. The much younger Adonai made half of a salute in agreement to the statement, but otherwise kept looking at ahead of himself solemnly. Almost as solemnly as Walken, who hadn't said a single word yet, nor moved much as well.

So it was much to the surprise of the others when he suddenly stood up and walked into the forest. Almost as one William and Kargagtha stood up and followed the tauren, the rest remained where they were. They didn't need to see the tauren to know there was something bothering him. The anger Walken radiated was almost tangible when they found him. William was about to say something, but Kargagtha stopped him by pulling him back by the neck.

Yet no sudden outburst of anger came. There wasn't a tree that suddenly lay in two pieces, nor was something flung into the distance. After several minutes, Walken's anger seemed to deflate. Kargagtha released her grip on his shoulder, the sign he could now step towards the tauren. "Walken?" He asked softly, perhaps still a bit frightened that the tauren might whirl around and crush his head.

The tauren did whirl around, but nothing painful followed. Instead Walken growled, "I should have been out there with them!"

"Why? You asked for it, but were not allowed and they still managed to achieve their goal." Kargagtha said. "You--"

"You don't understand! You can't understand. . ."

"I know what you lost, but that is no reason to throw your life away!" Kargagtha countered quickly.

"What do I have left then, hmm?" But before either of them could say anything, he turned and walked away.

Kargagtha would have gone after him, but now it was William who did the stopping. "Let him be, he'll find out what he wants on his own."

* * *

Afternoon - Day 16

She had been staring at the canyon for hours. The image was so engraved upon her eyes that she almost didn't notice that one small change in it's centre. A figure. A green one. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't dreaming it. The figure stayed. Within a single second she was on her feet and running towards it. Still the figure was there. She didn't bother telling the others, they'd see the figure on their own.

Her mind screamed in joy the first few steps, but the cheerfulness quickly faltered. The figure was definitely Talgrun, but it changed as she approached. With each step she took something changed. Armour was torn away by some unseen force. Black flames ate away an arm. A sword suddenly appeared in his chest. Deep gashes formed everywhere, blood quickly pouring from them. Scorch marks covered half his body. Flesh was torn from bone. It all continued until she was but two steps away from him. Most of his flesh was gone, but the eyes kept looking at her, almost sorrowfully. She took the last two steps and his form collapsed, reduced to a skeleton.

* * *

Evening - Day 16

She woke because of something akin to a bark. Sleep must have taken hold of her. The sky had darkened, the sun had begun the final phase of it's descend. Clouds in the distance had taken on a reddish glow. Next to her Sasha had gotten up, and was producing the dog-like barks.

At the canyon still remained the picture of her dream. That one figure. She averted her eyes and looked at the ground. Sasha tried to get her attention, but Xani kept looking at the ground, not wanting to look at the remnant from her dream.

"Xani. . ." Her father whispered.

Finally she looked up towards the figure. It immediately struck her that it wasn't the same as in her dream. It moved. It wasn't just one. "Tell me I'm not dreaming!" She said.

"You're not dreaming. . ." Zarius muttered.

Talgrun stood there, visibly exhausted. With his right arm he supported a limp but alive looking Kaylin, while he dragged a robed human with his left. "Get Jonno!" She said as she stood up and started towards Talgrun. It hadn't been necessary, though. Jonno had already seen what was happening. The group to her other side had now also noticed. All ran down to those who stumbled out of the canyon. This time no wounds appeared every time she took a step, the wounds were already there.

Before Xani could have said anything to him or the other two, Talgrun collapsed. His shoulder armour was missing. His chest armour was dented and pierced in several places. Bruises covered his entire body. His right wrist made an awkward angle. A piece of what looked like metal stuck out of his right arm. Four deep gashes were in his side. But he lived still. Kaylin seemed to have suffered only one wound, but it was very wide and went all the through her body, as well as many bruises. The human remained unmoving. Improvised bandages covered most of their wounds. Jonno was immediately at Kaylin's side, inspecting her wounds.

"How's he?" Talgrun asked, almost to soft to be heard. Despite her desire to immediately look to Talgrun's wounds, her priestly training demanded she look at the human first, for he seemed more severely injured.

But it was quite clear that the human was long dead. "He's dead. . ."

"He was alive last time I checked. . ." He muttered before blacking out.

* * *

A/N: Remember, he didn't die again, he 'merely' took a long time to get back. 


	36. Chapter 34: Twilight of the Gods

Ha Hah, you thought I was dead after one month of absence, huh? In truth, that is not at all far from the truth. I had surgery to correct some bones in the chest. Anyhoo, I thought it wouldn't take as long before I was well enough to be able to type again, but. . . there were complications. Quite painful complications. Rather ironic, considering the stuff I've written. Well, Although I am far from well, I feel well enough to complete the story.

A word of warning though, this is a long long looong chapter.

**Chapter 34: Twilight of the Gods**

Night - Day 19

The moment Talgrun opened his eyes he became aware of a splitting headache. Despite himself, he grunted because of the pain. It appeared that he was lying outside, for all that greeted his eyes was a tree canopy above him. But despite the fact he was outside and that it was most clearly dark, the temperature was most comfortable. Perhaps the blanket covering him was responsible for that, but he didn't even feel cold air upon his face. Upon feeling around, he found he was lying on a bed. On the feet end of the bed lay what remained of his battered armour along with the pouch that contained the crystal.

"Welcome back. . ." Came the unemotional voice of Kaylin from his left.

Despite the pain in his head, he sat up in the bed and put his feet on the ground on the left side, putting him right in front of Kaylin. "Commander. . ." He said, his voice sounding as if he hadn't spoken in years. He tried to clear his throat and then asked, "How long have I been out?"

The elder commander looked up in thought for a moment, then answered, "Just over two days. You had a very severe concussion."

"Two days!" He immediately lowered his voice as he realized they were not alone. There were many others lying on beds similar to his. Kaylin sat on a bed herself, dressed in simple clothing, just like he was. "What happened in those two days?"

"Early yesterday morning, the Legion broke through the barrier we put up. Archimonde has pushed us hard, we were forced to give up the Horde defences. As far as I have heard, we've lost fewer people than in similar situations. Solid plans had been made for a retreat towards the last defences beforehand."

Talgrun nodded, slowly to not increase the headache. "Wait a minute, as far as you've heard? Why are you here with the injured? I only remember you having that wound in the side."

The commander nodded, then said, "The wound had become severely infected. They've been trying to remove it with all sorts of potions, but it's a slow process. Don't ask me why, I don't know." She fiddled with her cloth shirt as if it had been revealing the wound and she wanted to cover it. Only now did Talgrun notice that she was holding something in her hands. It was the shaft of his broken hammer. He remembered shoving into his belt after it had broken. Like that they sat for a while, Talgrun trying to clear away the headache, Kaylin fiddling with the long shaft. Until Kaylin spoke up. "I must thank you." Talgrun looked at her, not understanding for what she must thank him. "In the canyon, you saved me, and then carried me all the way back."

"Ah. . . Yes, I did."

She reached behind her, reaching to the other side of her bed. When she was sitting as before again, she was holding her sword. The broken shaft she had put on the ground. With her fingers she felt along the wide jagged blade. Talgrun couldn't help but marvel at the craftsmanship, there were runes and figures engraved upon the blade. "This is a good sword. . ." She muttered, something akin to emotion shining through in her voice. "I would give it to you to at least pay you back in part, but. . ." She hesitated.

". . .It's to small for a big orc like me, right?" Talgrun finished for her.

"That's what I was thinking, indeed. But I promise, if we both survive the next few days, I _will_ pay you back. It is the only way I can think of to thank you." _A simple 'thank' you will suffice_. He didn't say it though. "But what will you use for a weapon, then? I don't think _that_ will do anymore." She pointed at the broken shaft which now lay on the ground.

"I'll have to find something to replace it. As I have got to replace other things as well." He gestured at the armour which lay on the feet end of his bed. Another period of silence threatened to commence, but Talgrun headed it of. "So. . . Do you know how much longer we need to hold the mountain?"

"Around two days, Malfurion and his druids are taking longer than they should."

"Can we hold that long?"

"It'll be a miracle if we can. We've lost a great deal of soldiers. There is hardly anybody left to defend the mountain. And to be honest, the few defences us night-elves have build are far from enough."

"Then I'll try to get some rest. . . It's easier to perform miracles when rested." He grinned wide as he said so.

* * *

Late afternoon - Day 20 

"There is something bothering you. . ." Xani said, stating a quite obvious thing.

"There is something bothering me. . ." Talgrun repeated, sighing. "The druids need one more day to complete their preparations, Archimonde has been strangely holding back one day after the Legion broke through the barrier, almost all of us are dead and we've been pushed back all the way to our last defence. Yes. . . There might just be something bothering me. . ." He looked away from her and redirected his gaze to what lay down the slopes from where they stood.

"But if Archimonde was holding back today, perhaps he'll do so tomorrow as well. . . Then it won't be long until we've achieved our goal."

"He would never allow us that much time to recover. No. He is planning_something_. He has been using this time to plan something or gather forces we won't be able to do much against." He didn't even look back to her as he said so. "Tomorrow, we need to hold. . . _Somehow_. To protect them." He gestured down the slope. It was the other side of the peak they were on now. The side where most of those who couldn't fight remained. The 'civilians' as the humans put it. Almost all in the Horde who couldn't fight were there, as well as most of the humans and their allies. Night-elves were there in considerable numbers as well, but far less then the Horde and Alliance, mostly refugees from nearby villages. The entire valley, which was huge in size, was filled up completely. It was pure luck that this valley could not be reached by the Legion except if they got through the main passage first. The only other way in was through the air, and the Legion seemed to be more concerned with using the few flying creatures it had left to attack the defenders.

"But if Archimonde attacks in full force tomorrow, no matter if he tries something strategically brilliant, we won't stand for long. . ." Talgrun only nodded solemnly as he continued to look at the valley below. "To think that we stood for so long, only to be defeated on the last day." Again Talgrun only nodded.

For a while he held his head bent forward in thought, but then a thought came to mind. He jerked his head up and looked at Xani. "I've got something for you. . ." She turned so she was completely facing him, curiosity plain on her face. From around his neck he pulled a thin chain. The object attached to it appeared from underneath his armour. "I said I'd get this back to you. . ." He said as he dangled the crescent moon symbol in front of Xani.

"Yes. . . You did." She took the symbol into her hand, prompting Talgrun to let go of the chain. The chain fell over her fingers. "Yes. . ." She said while she thought that if Talgrun had survived to return the necklace to her, he had the best chance of surviving the next day out of the both of them. "You did."

* * *

Sunrise - Day 21 

The barrier which had been formed at the bottleneck in the Main Passage had held for just over two days. The day after that Archimonde had pushed the defenders harder than ever before, pushing them all the way back to the last of the night-elven defences in just that day. He had been surprisingly quiet after that. But even before sunrise it had become obvious Archimonde would not be quiet today.

Another green burst of hellfire erupted in the distance. It arced upward through the still mostly dark sky and then arced down towards the defenders. It cast a bright green glow on the landscape below as it raced towards the defenders. An even greater burst of blue light erupted when it impacted the magical shield put up by the defending spellcasters. Somewhere down the slopes stood some kind of hellish contraptions, operated by the Legion, which fired these immensely powerful burst of energy. They had been quickly called infernal contraptions because the fire they shot at the defenders was exactly like that of the hulking infernals.

There had to be around five of the contraptions. They were not many, but their power was far greater than that of any catapult the defenders possessed. Not to mention that they actually outranged the catapults even though the infernal contraptions had to shoot uphill.

Yet up until now the defenders had to feel the power of an impact only once. The first time they fired. It had created a crater a hundred feet wide and had blown apart an entire regiment. Since then the only ones strained by the contraptions were the spellcasters, who had to commit all their power to protect the many others against the immense force of the contraptions. Even the most powerful of spellcasters were strained to their limits by the forces the impacts unleashed.

Another burst of green fire shot towards the defenders. It's eerie glow briefly lit up the waiting Legion. Amongst them stood Archimonde calmly directing his forces.

"I wonder what he has in store for us. . ." William said calmly to Talgrun. Almost everybody was visibly trembling with anxiety, if not fright, on this last day. Yet William remained calm, if only on the outside.

"Probably another tiring monologue to tell us how futile our resistance is." Both merrily chuckled.

One of the soldiers in front of them, briefly looked back at them with a look in his eyes as if thinking them crazy. This was not the time to be joking, this was the time to get to praying and hoping, as many others were doing. Talgrun only glared back at the soldier, who quickly looked back down the slope towards the Legion, not wanting to enter a staring contest with the far larger Talgrun.

Where there used to have been many dozens of mixed regiments before, there were only a few battered ones now. What remained was made into a single regiment that was several times larger than a normal regiment. This regiment was now gathered at the far right edge of the defence, a location where Talgrun and his regiments had ended up more often than he could remember.

"So how long do we need to hold again?" William asked, for the third time that day.

"The druids expect to be done just before sundown." Talgrun answered, as he had those other times as well.

The veteran human captain looked towards the sun peeking over the horizon in the distance, and then towards the demonic Horde below. Softer now, so the others wouldn't hear, William said, "You know, I don't think we're gonna make it." He said it just like when the two of them joked, but his eyes betrayed genuine fear. "Do you?"

Talgrun looked of to the side. Several hundred feet, and several regiments, further to the left stood the Silverblades regiment, still mostly intact. Xani stood amongst them as well, this time assigned to help the injured closer to the front, instead of further behind the lines, for there no longer was a 'further behind the lines'. He felt something furry rub against him. He didn't need to look to know it was Sasha. "Perhaps."

He was still looking to the left when he noticed an orc female wearing grunt armour approaching the ragtag regiment. Something quite out of place. There shouldn't be anybody walking around between the regiments now, everybody was supposed to be prepared and with their fellow warriors. Kargagtha, who was now part of the regiment as well together with the remaining trainees, had seen the figure as well. "Who is that? There is to be no walking around now."

William and Walken looked as well. Only Björn, who could not understand what they were saying, continued to look upon the regiment and the Legion further below. "Jirina?" Talgrun asked nobody in particular, when he recognised the figure, his voice a whisper. "What is she doing here?"

Someone else was less quiet in revealing the identity of the one who approached. "Mother?!" It was Adonai who said it, and it was Adonai who was the first to run over to Jirina, unable to be stopped by the older peon-turned-grunt Kirrax who attempted to hold him back. Mother and son hugged for a moment, the last time they had seen each other at least two weeks ago by now.

"Kargagtha." Talgrun gestured for her to come with him. They quickly crossed the distance between them and the mother and child, Sasha, as always, trailing behind. When they arrived, he asked, "What are you doing here? You're--"

"I requested warlord Firetusk that on this last day I be with this regiment." Jirina said, cutting him of.

"You're pregnant!" Talgrun blurted involuntarily, but found Jirina already had an answer ready.

"I've been fighting ever since I've been on this mountain! I may be pregnant, but I'm not helpless!" Talgrun had to admit she was still early in her pregnancy, it wasn't very noticeable yet, but he couldn't quite decide what to say. He hadn't known she'd been fighting, for the last time he'd seen her was back in the Warsong village.

When Talgrun remained quiet to long, Kargagtha said, "We could use her help. . ."

Talgrun briefly looked at Adonai, and then back at Jirina. "Fine. . . But don't tell anybody you're pregnant. I could do without the complications." He then looked to Adonai. "And you! Get back to the group! The fact your mother's here, doesn't change the situation!" Within a second Adonai was hurrying back to the others.

"I see you still don't make exceptions, even now." Jirina remarked when her son had rejoined the others.

"Why would I?" He gestured for Kargagtha to go back to the others as well, leaving him with Jirina. "What do you think Nielak would say now? If he were here. . ." Green flames illuminated Jirina's visage for a moment, followed by an intense blue glow doing the same for a short moment. She looked down as she thought of her dead mate. When she didn't say anything, Talgrun put a hand on her shoulder and said, "Sorry."

"Agh!" She looked up again and turned to look towards the rising sun, brushing Talgrun's hand away in the process. "What are we doing?! We're standing here, talking about what some dead orc would have said, while only a few miles down the slopes stands the Burning Legion!"

They remained quiet for while, looking at the sun while it seemed to take an eternity to rise bit by bit. "Do _you_think we can make it through this day?" Talgrun asked eventually, uncertainty getting the better of him.

"Of course we _can_!" It's unlikely though." She grinned as she said the last and then looked at his face. "Now what did I tell you about getting more scars?" With a finger she traced the new scar on his forehead where Gar's axe had gouged out a deep gash. Put of by the sudden change of subject, he faltered as he tried to find some answer. "Just don't get anymore today." She grinned and then abruptly turned around and walked to the regiment, where she took her place next to her son.

Sighing, he walked back as well, while wondering whether this prolonged battle might not only be breaking their bodies but their minds as well._Probably._"They are moving. . ." William remarked when he arrived. Instantly Talgrun turned to look down the slopes at the Legion. At first he had trouble discerning any movement, but eventually he succeeded. "Very slowly, but they _are_moving."

"That is not like the Legion. . . To advance slowly." Björn said.

"Archimonde has planned something." Walken added, guessing correctly what they had been saying in common.

And as if him saying that was the sign, All five of the infernal contraptions in the distance unleashed their destructive charges at once. More than a few warriors eyed the orbs of hellfire with curiosity. They were not aimed at the front lines, but seemed to be headed somewhere further behind the lines of defenders. Yet most did not pay the hellfire any attention, for the shield would stop it, right?

But just before the deadly fire would have impacted that very shield, a spell was unleashed further down the slope, by Archimonde himself. A bolt of red lightning shot forward and impacted the shield. Within an instant the shield imploded on itself. The fiery charges of green hellfire got past where the shield had been and impacted their targets dead centre. Their targets were what remained of the long range weaponry of the defenders, the catapults, siege teams and ballistae. For the entire battle on the mountain the sole consistent advantage the defenders had had was their long range weaponry. Within a single second that advantage had been turned around completely. Now the only one who had long range weaponry was Archimonde.

"DAMN IT!" Talgrun exclaimed immediately upon seeing the hellfire impact, realizing immediately what it meant. Others took longer to even realize what had caused the massive explosions, having thought that the shield would protect them.

"MORTALS! THIS WILL BE YOUR LAST DAY UPON THIS WORLD!" Archimonde bellowed from below. "THIS GAME IS OVER!"

"They're advancing! Quickly!" One of the human officers remarked.

"READY SHIELDS! READY BOWS AND GUNS" Talgrun roared at the regiment. Within seconds the regiment shook of it's initial surprise and readied itself. "Walken, I want you up front." He said to the massive tauren.

"Gladly!" The tauren saluted and trudged of to the front of the regiment.

Talgrun quickly revised some of the positions within the regiment, ordered the archers and sharpshooters to fire whenever the Legion was in range and then went down to the front himself, leaving overall command of the regiment to William and Kargagtha. He took his new battleaxe from his back and pointed it towards the advancing Legion, the axe had belonged to a tauren who had been killed a few days before, and roared to regiment, "HOLD!"

The ground trembled as the Burning Legion approached. A vast army of undead and demons stormed up the slopes, all roaring at the top of their demonic lungs. The defenders, most of them at least, shouted back, but the sound they produced was no where as loud as that of the Legion. Not long after, the Legion came within range.

Arrows soared over their heads, guns fired, spells were cast, explosions rocked the ground. In the few seconds before the Legion would collide with the defenders, he looked to the side. There the Silverblades were already fighting the first few undead that had reached them. Further of he saw warlord Firetusk organising several regiments into a tight front. Even further away he saw general Trent's mounted warriors, knights, charging towards the Legion, while hundreds of arrows and bullets soared over their heads. Thrall was organising spells with a large group of shamans and the other spellcasters of the Horde, while Jaina was doing the same with the few mages that remained. Tyrande was leading a large group of archers. He even saw Gar, who, together with a large group of dark trolls, was already fighting the Legion. Malfurion was not present yet, busy as he was with the final preparations for the trap.

He turned back to the advancing Legion, mounted Sasha and bellowed one more warcry before guiding Sasha forward so he could do battle with an approaching doomguard.

* * *

Early - Day 21 

Xani found herself pressed hard. Not by any demons or undead creature, but by the wounded. There were just to many. She found herself already halfway into healing the next when she had only just finished healing the current one. Yet, there was one 'advantage'. Over the weeks that the battle had lasted, only few of the healers had been killed, for they usually remained at least some distance away from the front. It meant that for every hundred soldiers that remained, there were now more healers than before, if that could truly be called an advantage.

Every time she had the opportunity to do so, she asked, prayed, for a lull in the battle so she might be able to properly heal the injured. Yet she knew she was not the only one being strained. At least she did not have to stand up on the front, facing the Legion.

Another injury healed. She walked to the next. She had to pull the soldier out of harms way, needing to duck underneath one of the hatchets an abomination was wielding to do so. _So much for not facing the Legion. _The soldier's leg had nearly been cut of, Only a few tendons and skin kept it attached. Blood pumped from the wound in streams. There was a piece of metal shrapnel imbedded in the wound, although it came loose easily when she tugged on it. Shivers ran over her back when she turned the nearly cut of leg so it aligned with the rest of the leg. All the while the soldier screamed in pain, clawed at the ground, clenched her teeth and nearly bit through her own cheek doing so. When Xani was happy with how the lower part of the leg aligned with the top part, she started healing. To help herself, she opened up one of the bottles of potion she had received and let some of the potion fall upon the wound. Almost immediately the wound started closing. The leg jerked a few times when the bones reattached. But then the wound was healed. The screaming stopped. The formerly injured soldier stood up and quickly thanked Xani.

"May Elune protect you. . ." Xani returned, as she had all the other times as well. It had become routine and no longer contained any of the meaning it was supposed contain. Yet, the soldier seemed pleased to hear it, for she bowed slightly in thanks. Xani smiled in return, a smile just as empty as the blessing had been. The soldier seemed undeterred by the emptiness of the gesture and picked up her sword and charged back towards the front.

Xani let her eyes trail the soldier for a moment, soon wishing she hadn't done that. The soldier swung her sword, and was parried by a felguard, who then grabbed the soldier's sword by the blade, undeterred by the wound it caused. The felguard then proceeded to reduce the head of the soldier to a bloody pulp with it's spiked mace.

For a moment Xani stood lost. She no longer knew what to do. Heal another one, so that one could get killed immediately after? "Xani!" She need not look to know it was Jonno. "Get back to work!" She sighed and reluctantly did so.

From below Archimonde started a new string of taunts directed at the night-elves. "COME YOU NIGHT-ELVES! WHERE IS THE FIRE AND THE PASSION WITH WHICH YOU FOUGHT SO LONG AGO!?" _They are long gone. . . _She admitted. He followed it up with more taunts which Xani did not even bother to listen to.

The battle dragged on, endlessly it seemed. At one point Xani even had to heal an injured Kaylin, who normally managed to stay out of harm's way. Despite her best efforts, soldiers kept dying. _Please. . . Just a short rest. _She prayed to her goddess.

And as if the deity had heard her prayer, the short rest was soon given. Xani hadn't seen her do so, but the high priestess, Tyrnade, had left the group of archers she had been leading. And at the same time that Xani had asked the goddess for a short rest, the high priestess asked for something else. She prayed for her spell to work. Not a spell of healing, but one of destruction.

Despite the fact the sun had now fully risen above the horizon, darkness came. Darkness, the favoured time of day for all night-elves, for it was when the two moons of the world of Azeroth appeared. One moon in particular, the one that represented the moon goddess, Elune. And this moon appeared in the newly darkened sky. It shone brighter than the moon ever should. The light cast seemed to touch the high priestess as she cast her spell. A brilliant aura of white, like the now very visible moon, radiated from the high priestess. What, in a true night sky, would look like stars appeared in the artificially darkened sky. Everywhere around the new moon they appeared, far more numerous than there should ever be stars.

And as Tyrande spoke the last words of her incantation, the spell was completed. Now she need only channel it. The new stars descended from the sky, gaining speed as they did so, leaving behind them a trail of light like that of the moon. Wave after wave of them fell from the sky, and landed upon the many demons and undead. And as they touched the horrible creatures, the stars burned them, burned right through them. No armour could withstand the mighty spell. Demons died screaming their agony as stars burned through their bodies, burned their insides. Undead at first paid the stars no mind, attacking the defenders even while the spell burned through them. But in the end, even the most brainless zombie, whether because any thought of itself or of it's masters, realized it was in trouble. Many a demon tried to flee. Even undead started turning and headed back down the slopes while their bodies were still burning.

The defenders witnessed a chaos like none before erupt just below them, as one half the Burning Legion was trying to retreat down the mountain, while the other half, the half unaffected by the spell, was still trying to charge upwards. Even Archimonde, who normally betrayed no annoyances to anyone but himself, was now visually frustrated. "ATTACK YOU COWARDS!!" He roared at the retreating demonic horde, but for the moment at least, the Legion was more afraid of spell then it was of Archimonde himself. To show his displeasure with the retreating demons and undead, hoping it might spur the rest into attacking again, he, with a simple gesture of his right hand, liquefied the flesh of several thousand demons, a simple act as they were his to control. They did not even have time to scream, for their liquefied insides were already spilling down the mountain before they even knew they were dead. The Legion, even now, remained more afraid of the spell than of Archimonde and continued retreating. Frustrated as he was, Archimonde unleashed his rage upon several other demons near him and then started guiding the Legion into a more organised retreat.

Further up the mountain, the high priestess sighed in relief upon seeing her spell succeed. The field was now littered with countless bodies, by far most of them demons and undead, while the rest of the Legion retreated. "Thank you." She spoke, looking up to the moon. As if in answer, the moon shone extra brightly once and then started to fade away. And as the moon faded, the darkness faded, and the sun returned to full strength.

"You should not exert yourself so much." Malfurion stepped toward her. "Or you'll be spend long before the end of the day."

Tyrande wavered on her weakened legs and sought to get a hold of Malfurion to remain standing. "I know, my love, I know. But we would not have held much longer. The soldiers are spent after three weeks of fighting. A rest, short as it will be, was needed." She sighed again, as she tried to regain some of her strength. "How are the preparations for the trap proceeding?"

"All the incantations are in place. Now it is up to nature herself to rally the rest of the power needed to destroy Archimonde. We need only hold long enough. My original estimation still holds. . . We need to hold until sundown, but now the druids and I can participate in the battle again!"

"Can the forest around us aid us as it has before?"

"All living things in this area, in the entire world, have been devastated, but I belief there may be something left for me to work with. I shall call upon the forest to lend us what power it can spare."

* * *

Early - Day 21 

Talgrun's new axe imbedded itself into the last of the undead that had chosen to continue attacking. The abomination had been hit by one the stars that had suddenly appeared to fall from the sky, but it had missed anything essential to the abomination's functioning. He pulled the axe back and struck again at the abomination. The axe cleaved the head in two. The undead beast slowly sagged to the ground. And as it finally topples backwards and hit the ground with a thud, a cheer arose amongst the remaining defenders. A cheer of pure relief. At least for a short while, they could rest.

"LOOK! They're retreating!" One dwarf shouted while jumping up and down to look over his fellows standing in front of him, so ecstatic was he with the news.

"They're beat! Look at them go!" A human remarked, to tired to be as ecstatic as the dwarf.

As the rest of the regiment continued to cheer, Talgrun joined a more silent group, one where only Björn was being marginally cheerful about the situation. "Will they be back?" Kargagtha asked.

"Within minutes, most likely." Talgrun answered, receiving agreeing nods from William.

"Then we don't have long. . ." She added, and then turned to the still cheerful regiment. "Drink and rest, we don't have long! Try to make the most out of it!" She received agreeing cheers as canteens and water sacks were pulled from bags and behind rocks. "Well, at least they are happy. . ." She remarked upon turning back to them.

"They feel they've struck a mighty blow against the greatest force ever!" Walken stated as he approached with his own sack of water already near his mouth. Blood and gore covered most of his body, as it did most of those who had been anywhere near the fighting. "No wonder their hopes are up."

"While in fact we've only made a dent in their numbers. . ." Talgrun muttered solemnly, now bringing his own water sack to his mouth. "A big dent, though. A big one."

And as they tried to regain as much strength as they could, new lines were formed. What paltry defensive structures there had been, were now completely razed to the ground. "If we stand there, together with other regiments, we might be able to take advantage of those large boulders." William remarked as he gestured towards a series of large boulders with flat tops, several hundred might be able to hide amongst them. "Our sharpshooters and archers could easily rain down bullets and arrows from up on those boulders."

"And we'd be sitting ducks as well. . ." Björn quickly countered. "Their spellcasters would immediately target us. We'd all be dead within minutes. And when we're dead, there'd be nobody left to cover you people."

"Those rocks are an attractive location though. . ." Talgrun said. "If we and several other regiments were to hold around those boulders, your sharpshooters and the archers could use the boulders themselves as cover, and we could have the spellcasters use the boulders as well to be able to see everything. And then they'd be able to better protect you as well."

Björn pursed his lips as he considered it, then said, "Alright, sounds good. I'll get started." Björn was of quickly to gather the remaining archers and sharpshooters.

"Then I'll organise a few other regiments to back us up." Talgrun said as he mounted Sasha and rode to the nearest regiment. The others only nodded and continued to rest as long as they could. It did not take long for Talgrun to reach what was now the nearest regiment, the Silverblades. "How are you holding up?" He asked upon riding up to Kaylin and Zarius, who were busy organising the wounded. Before they had a chance to answer he proceeded to tell them his plan. The basis of the plan was quickly explained and the two night-elven officers were quick to decide.

"A solid plan. . . Those boulders would make for a true natural fortress." Zarius said. "But if we all go there. What about the gap we'll leave here? We could be surrounded in moments"

Talgrun had already thought of that while the two elves had briefly discussed the plan. "The spellca--" But he was cut of as he noticed something move down towards them. Or rather some 'things'. From out of the forest higher up on the mountain stepped 'trees'. Trees imbued with magic. As before, the forest itself came alive to aid the defenders. Yet Talgrun couldn't help but stare at the many huge forest giants as they strode towards them. The giants, with an agility belying their massiveness, worked their way over and around the defenders to create a new line stretching the entire width of the main passage just in front of the defenders. "Or we can leave it to them. . ." He then simply said.

The two officers both quickly nodded and then went to work to tell the rest of the regiment to go to the boulders and strengthen that position. Talgrun in the mean time went on to order two more regiments, battered ones that would not have held for many more minutes if the Legion attacked again, to strengthen the forces already at the boulder fortress. Upon passing by them, he briefly smiled to Xani and nodded to Jonno, both looking exhausted already.

"How are we doing here?" Talgrun asked upon returning to the boulders. There were sharpshooters, archers and spellcasters climbing all over and in between the boulders.

"Great!" William exclaimed. "The only thing missing to make it into a real fortress is some torches, drinks and a big gate. We should have done this a lot earlier."

"But then we wouldn't have had those. . . _Trees_, to cover the gap. . ." William just shook his head as if he didn't really care.

And just as the menacing horns of Legion began blowing in the distance to signal their return, Kaylin came to them. "They've returned, but you better come take a look." Talgrun nodded to her and gestured for William and several other officers to come with him. They climbed a top a particularly high boulder and looked down the slopes. Upon seeing what it was that charged up the slopes at them, his eyes opened wide in awe. Most other officers let loose some sort of profanity to show their displeasure.

What charged up the hill was no army of flesh and blood, but one of infernals. The sky now darkened again as well, but not because of some spell of the high priestess, but one of the Legion. "They've done this before at the Horde defence, but then we had massive spells, minefields and siege equipment to deal with them." William pointed out. "This time we have none of the latter two." But unlike before, this army of infernals was disorganised. Each seemed to try to get ahead of the others, to get at the defenders first. Talgrun never needed to order anybody anything. The other officers began ordering the few remaining spellcasters to prepare spells for any infernal that dared get close to them.

The sky continued darkening, while the few clouds present lit up with red light and streaks of green lightning shot across the sky. Infernals started falling from the sky now as well. Most seemed concentrated near the centre, but one dropped just a little distance to the right of the boulder fortress. As the monstrous being of rock and flame climbed from it's crater, spells of all sorts were immediately unleashed upon it. Parts of it were immediately frozen, while other parts got hit by fireballs hot enough to melt even an infernal. It never stood a chance, it collapsed before it even fully stepped from the crater.

But the massive army that charged towards them did stand a chance. Two dozen at least were heading towards them. The forest giants started moving forward to meet the infernals head on. They dwarfed the infernals in size and most likely in power as well, but Talgrun doubted whether a tree, however large it may be, had any chance against a creature of fire. He need not have worried though.

While spells had already reduced several infernals to rubble, the first of the infernals met the tree closest to the boulders. The forest giant swung a mighty branch once, the thick branch colliding with the infernal head on. The infernal shattered instantly as the rocks that made up the chest were immediately thrown back while those rocks that made up the limbs still had momentum forward. More than a few of the infernals that had been bearing down on the boulders now veered of towards the tree. Meanwhile the spellcasters kept casting spell after spell. Between the trees and their spells, they quickly destroyed all the infernals within a considerable radius, while only a few of the gigantic trees had become damaged by the infernals.

Elsewhere things had been different. The middle of the defence had suffered the most from infernals falling from the sky, but even there the army of infernals was destroyed.

Again a cheer went up. "Even Infernals cannot get at us!" One shouted, to be quickly backed by others.

Talgrun quickly climbed onto the boulders, leaving Sasha between the boulders. "Or perhaps they can. . ." He muttered upon seeing a new wave of infernals charging up the hill. Now, though, the other demons and undead also charged up the hill along with the fiery companions. "Now it gets interesting. . ."

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

Hours later, the defensive line had shifted. The boulder fortress, almost all the way on the right side of the main passage, had held with relatively few losses. But everywhere else there wasn't such a natural advantage. Everywhere else the defenders had been pushed back, the least on the right side near the boulders, most on the left side, where the defenders had taken heavy losses against the infernals out in the open.

The amount of infernals racing up the slopes had decreased greatly as if the Legion had expended all they had to spare. Now the battle had mostly returned to being fought with ordinary weapons. Yet, Archimonde had still managed several strategically brilliant manoeuvres, often using magic to decimate entire regiments of the defenders.

But just a few minutes ago, the defenders had struck back, much in the way Tyrande had managed to beat back the Legion with her spell. Again the Legion had been forced to perform a chaotic retreat when several dozen spellcasters, led by Thrall and Jaina, had orchestrated a spell of immense proportions.

But for one person it had come just a few seconds to late.

Talgrun watched as William gently closed her eyes. The rest of her face was still contorted in anger and pain, as if still engaged in battle. Many were gathered around the fallen orc, whom had been dragged amongst the boulders. Especially the few former trainees that remained were shocked by the lifeless body they were standing around, for it was Kargagtha they were gathered around. Or, part of her at least. Her lower half still lay somewhere out there, amongst the many other dead. A doomguard had been her final undoing as it attacked just when she had finished of a pair of ghouls. It's flaming sword had cleaved her in half just above the waist. William had dragged her top half out of the battle. She'd been alive for only few seconds after being dragged amongst the boulders.

She was but one of many who had died, but still most were more shaken by her death than the death of dozens of others. For she had been known to many, especially amongst those here. Even though it pained him to say it, for he knew she deserved better, Talgrun said to those gathered, "Enough! Lay her with the rest and reinforce the position. We won't have long until they attack again!" Most immediately went do as he said, while William dragged Kargagtha's body to a large pile.

Upon seeing that everybody was doing as he had said, Talgrun trudged of between a series of boulders, memories of a living Kargagtha bouncing around in his head. Particularly that one time in the Warsong village. Frustration getting the better of him, he kicked against the nearest boulder, his metal boot breaking of a piece. The newly created pebble rolled along the ground until it came to rest against another set of boots.

"Hey. . ." He heard Xani whisper, she had snuck up to him. A gentle hand came to rest on his cheek. She didn't say anything else, but he could read more meaning in her eyes than any words could describe. Blood was smeared all over her armour and visible skin. A few bruises decorated her face, but otherwise she was unharmed, unlike his already numerous, but insignificant, cuts all over the exposed areas of his skin.

Yet, despite her intentions, and her comforting presence, he withdrew and said, "Don't you have wounded to attend to?" It sounded far to angry and threatening than he intended it to sound, for he merely wanted to be left alone. His meaning became clear to her despite the anger he radiated. She left silently. He sighed and then walked onward, quickly leaving the collection of boulders.

The remaining warriors now no longer belonged to any regiments. All races, whether they understood each other or not, were mixed. They all worked together on building what few barricades they could to funnel the Legion where they wanted them. Jirina stepped to him, she had not been there when Kargagtha had been declared dead. Adonai was following her. "Kargagtha, she's dead?" He nodded. Jirina bowed her head and whispered something under her breath. Upon looking up again she said, "She was a--" But he cut her of with another nod. Jirina was quick to leave again, but Adonai lingered.

"I saw it." The boy said. "She died valiantly. . ." Talgrun nodded his agreement and then told the boy to return to work.

Pushing Kargagtha way to the back of his mind best he could, he stepped towards Kaylin and Zarius. "How are your night-elves holding up?"

"We're taking losses, but that is not my worry." Kaylin stated, unemotionally, nothing seemingly capable of fazing her. She looked not one bit worried as she said she was. "What worries me is that the protectors that rose from the forest to aid us, are all but gone. If the rest of them are defeated, it leaves a large gap to our left. We'd be surrounded within minutes if it stays like that. We may need to abandon this position, so we may be able to fill that gap."

"We can't leave this position!" Zarius countered, to Talgrun's surprise. "This is the best fortified position along the entire front. If we leave, the entire right side of the front will collapse the moment Archimonde attacks again."

"That is true. . ." Kaylin mused. She looked down in thought at the trampled ground. "But without reinforcements to fill that gap, we will have to leave to avoid getting surrounded or bypassed altogether, by the Legion."

"I will send out a messenger." Talgrun said. Upon whistling once, Sasha, the last mount they had, immediately appeared. He called Kirrax to him and quickly told the former peon what message to deliver. Sasha protested lightly when Kirrax mounted, not used as she was to any rider that wasn't Talgrun. She quickly quieted when Talgrun told her it was okay. Kirrax evidently knew how to ride with considerable skill and was out of sight quickly. "Let's just hope there are actually any reinforcements available." He said to the two elves.

"I doubt it, but perhaps they can pull soldiers away from other areas where they are slightly less needed." Kaylin said.

Knowing there was nothing left for him to do, except wait for Kirrax, with or without reinforcements, he starting walking amongst the battered warriors, speaking comforting words whenever he could, or helping with putting a barricade, despite the fact he knew any barricade they made would not hold the Legion for long.

"Can we still hold long enough?" Walken asked. The gigantic tauren had seemingly materialied from thin air to ask him that.

Talgrun looked at the sun and saw it was already starting it's descend back to the horizon. "I think our chances have increased." He said eventually. "But I thought you no longer cared. . . You seemed so eager to get yourself killed before."

Walken sighed, a sound not unlike that of a dragon breathing, and slowly shook his head. There were deep gashes all over the tauren's body and just like everybody else he looked tired. "Perhaps once, but no longer. I let my memories get to me then, but I think. . . I think I have gotten over them."

Talgrun smiled briefly and patted the tauren's muscular shoulder, needing to reach up to do so.

Walken's gaze shifted down the slopes, but before the tauren could say what it was that had caught his attention, Archimonde's thundering voice rang out again to taunt them. "I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF THESE GAMES! NO MORE DELAYS! I WILL NOT BE HELD FROM MY PRIZE ANY LONGER!"

"Here they come again. . ." One dwarf muttered.

"Then let's not disappoint them! GET READY!" Yet, while Talgrun shouted that, he noticed there was something different about the Legion. He strained his eyes to see better and then noticed what it was that seemed so different. There were now a great many creatures flying above the Legion's ground forces as well. And most of those seemed to be heading directly towards their part of the defence. It seemed Archimonde had figured out what was holding down his forces, and he planned to get rid of it.

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

Talgrun's shout was heard even within the boulder fortress. "You heard him!" Jonno shouted at his fellow healers. "Let's get the last few of these wounded taken care of so they can join in the fight outside!"_So we can have a few seconds of rest before the new stream of wounded comes in._ What had been his white armour, was now coloured in every colour that made up the blood of the various races that defended the World Tree. From his current position amongst the boulders he could see the World Tree. And each time he looked, it gave his endurance that little boost it needed to heal another wounded, for he knew if the World Tree was usurped by Archimonde, all he would have done so far would have been for naught. He had no wish for that to happen, perhaps even less than he wished to die.

The last of the wounded was taken care of. The healers who still had the strength to do so started passing out water amongst them. Xani it was who gave him a sack of water. He gratefully took it and allowed her to sit next to him. A portion of the water he threw over his face, washing away some of the grime on it. The rest he drank, savouring every drop as if it might be his last one.

A shout from above caught their attention. "Flyers! Hundreds of them! They're all heading over here!" Not long after that gunshots resounded, followed by the shrieks of dying demons and undead monstrosities. The ground trembled as the Legion's ground forces approached like a thunderstorm. Mere seconds later the sounds of steel clashing upon steel and claws was heard, screams of the dying following not long after.

"Alright then! We should--" Jonno said as he stood up, but a scream from above, on the boulders, had cut him of.

"Watch out! It is--" The scream became a horrifying cry of someone who was being gutted alive. Both Jonno and Xani looked up just in time to see the night-elf get torn in two by a bat-like creature that had landed on the boulders. Both halves fell down amongst the boulders, one dropping so near Jonno that the blood of the dead elf splashed onto him.

"A gargoyle. . ." Xani pointed out, but before Jonno could ask how she knew that, she had already gone to the fallen elf.

It did not sit well with Jonno. There were not yet a lot of injured to deal with, so he continued looking up. It seemed the gargoyle was still on a killing spree up there. Body parts kept on rolling over the edge of the boulders, while small streams of blood followed. But he couldn't see the unholy monstrosity anywhere. He drew his short sword and continued to peer up.

Another body, much more whole this time, was flung over the edge of the boulders. It, a human, landed not far from Xani, who had by now eased the torn apart half of the night-elf into death. Xani immediately, without care for anything else, went to the new body to check for life, which she evidently found, for she gestured for Jonno to come. He did. There was a wide hole in the right side of the human's chest. A bad injury, but with quick and precise attention not necessarily fatal.

Before he might have doubted whether the young Xani would be experienced enough to handle such injuries, but that was long ago. He had seen her skills increase rapidly to the point that she might be more skilled than him. Only a single second was spend thinking of that, though, for he was still more concerned with what went on up on the boulders.

And only because he was looking did anybody get any advance warning. He saw the gargoyle tipping over the edge, slashes and arrows everywhere on it's body, but still very much alive. "Everybody OUT! It is coming down!" The gargoyle was not doing well in trying to get down, for it's large wing span had never been meant for this sort of thing. It still swung the claws on the tips of each wing around, even while it was climbing down.

Only just in time did Jonno pull Xani down underneath one of the claws, before it would have torn her head of. He started pulling her away, towards a passage in between boulders that would lead to another 'room' where healers where busy. She tried to pull the human with her, but was forced to let go when the gargoyle's claws came round again. She was missed, but the human took the full brunt of the blow. His chest was utterly torn apart.

They made it safely away from the gargoyle and into a passage in between boulders, but Jonno felt it would not be safer there. In fact, it might be more dangerous. The air felt colder and colder as they proceeded through the passage. He heard a sound, like that of a dragon with a torn throat breathing out quickly. With a grunt he pushed Xani into the nearest wall, just in time. The temperature plummeted. A blast of air rushed passed them, only a smaller boulder protecting them from the full force of the attack. The rush of air stopped and the temperature slowly increased again.

They peeked around the protecting boulder and saw everything had been frozen solid. Everything, the rocks, the dead, the wounded and the healers. White covered everything. Jonno looked up just in time to see a frost wyrm taking of.

"Jonno! Your ear!" Xani exclaimed upon looking at him.

Gently, he felt around the right side of his head. Part of it was frozen solid just like everything in front them. Upon touching the middle of his right ear, he heard something break. Strangely enough he felt nothing. In his right hand lay the upper half of his long pointed ear. "Lucky me. . . Could have been my head." He said, slightly dazed. His mind felt numb. He felt around more and noticed the entire right side of his head was frozen solid. The right eye no longer functioned and he had trouble moving his mouth, particularly the right side resisted. "Oh. . . It. . . Was. . ."

"You're not dead yet! Now move! That gargoyle is coming!" He turned sluggishly to see she was right. It had killed everything else in sight and now came after them. Dragged onward by Xani, he started to run. Whether it was his increasingly slow mind playing tricks on him, he didn't know, but he thought he felt a tug on his stomach. It was gone soon enough though and it hadn't slowed him, nor did it hurt. They raced through the frozen area. "It's climbing over the boulders!" Xani alerted. "It can't get in between the boulders!" Jonno found his neck lacked the capacity to twist, so he couldn't look back.

His left eye started faltering, his legs wanted to give out, his right arm no longer functioned and the only thing holding the left arm up was Xani as she dragged him on. "Puh-- Please. . . I c-- Can't go on!" He shivered even as he was running.

"Just a little bit more, that passage is long enough to protect us. It won't be able to reach us."

Then he suddenly was no longer running forward. Xani was no longer dragging him. His remaining eye only saw a shimmering white wall. He felt strange, as if hanging upside-down. _Am I dead? _He wondered. Than he found he really was hanging upside-down. The ugly head of the gargoyle appeared. Twisting his neck best he could, he saw one of the gargoyle's claws was through his left leg, and was holding him up. The gargoyle screeched at him. Another claw appeared, it was being drawn back, as if it were preparing to punch him in the face.

He found he no longer had his sword, he must have dropped it. Finding whatever strength and willpower he could summon in his barely functioning left arm, he struck the gargoyle in the face before it could strike him. Blood seeped from the gargoyle's flat nose. It was evidently hurt, for it tried to hold him away as far as possible, it wasn't used to getting punched.

The gargoyle was quick to recover though. But just before it could strike with it's claws, it screamed in pain and withdrew the claw pierced through Jonno's leg. He fell down and landed hard on his neck. Just before hitting the ground he saw Xani had drawn her own sword and had sliced through both of the gargoyle's legs. It had fallen to the ground, where it was quickly finished of by a sword to the head. But it seemed luck was not on Jonno's side. In a dying spasm, the gargoyle kicked out and hit Jonno fully in the chest. For a moment he experienced the feeling of flight, the fact he really was soaring through the air combined with his numb mind enhanced that feeling greatly, until he collided with a boulder. Up until now he had felt very little of all the wounds, but that changed now. He felt it, and being a seasoned priest, he knew exactly what it meant. The shattering sound accompanying the colliding with the wall added to the knowledge of what was wrong with him.

He had broken both his spine and had cracked the back of his skull. Small miracle he was still alive at all. Unable to use any part of his body below his shoulders, he sagged to the ground. Trying best he could to look at his body, he now also saw what the little tug was he had felt earlier. It had been the gargoyle's claws ripping through his stomach.

"Jonno!" He heard Xani shout. _Sorry Xani. Sorry commander. . . Kaylin. . . _His remaining eye blacked out, exhaustion took over. _Finally! Rest! _Every muscle in his body he still had control over relaxed. He was dead before Xani could even get to him.

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

"Concentrate on that frost wyrm!" Zarius shouted to the remaining archers on the boulders. Against the demons and undead on the ground they were still holding well, but those in the sky were picking them of like flies.

"Get up there and lead them from there!" Kaylin shouted at him, only barely audible over the roar of battle. "They can't hear you from here!"

He saluted in agreement and ran of towards the boulders. Just before he would have started climbing, he saw someone stumbling out of the boulder fortress. "Xani! What are you doing out here!"

"Most of the healers are dead! A gargoyle landed amongst the boulders and wreaked havoc!" She paused and then shouted. "Jonno's dead!"

Zarius nodded his understanding and then said, "Tell the commander!" And without looking whether she did so, he started on his climb up the boulders. There he found a true bloodbath. He swallowed hard, even after all the things he had seen below. Wherever there were dents in the rocks, there were now pools of blood. Intestines lay spread all over the place, as well as body parts. At least half of the archers and sharpshooters had to have been killed.

But up here, at least he could more easily make himself heard. "Everybody! Reorganise!" He went from group to group and told them what to do best he could, then picked up the bow of a fallen night-elf. "Concentrate on THAT one!" He shouted and let loose an arrow upon a frost wyrm flying past. Although he was not that good with a bow, he was still good enough to hit any beast that flew by, although he never managed to hit what he actually aimed for, the head. But whenever he hit one of the beasts, every other archers and sharpshooter shot at that same monstrosity. Even those who could not understand what he was saying quickly figured out what he meant by just looking at the other elves. The spellcasters tried to aid best they could, while still casting their protective spells.

This way they managed to quickly pick of the flyers of the Legion, while warning each other whenever one came in for an attack.

And from here it also enabled Zarius to be the first to see the last of the forest giants go down.

But he was also the first to see something else approach.

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

Walken had no idea where he was, nor how long he had been there. He had run around and had battled in so many places in front of the boulders that he had lost track of where he was. He might be fighting at the rear of the boulders for all he knew. Never was there an opportunity to check. There was always another ghoul or felhound, if not one of their larger kin. Right now he hammered one felhound into the ground. He followed it up by parrying the sword of a felguard with his hammer. Endlessly it seemed to go on. And perhaps it did, he could no longer tell.

He hit a doomguard's head so hard it came loose from the neck. A pair of humans pushed in front of him, cutting him of from direct combat for the first time. It gave someone else the opportunity to tap him on his shoulder. He nearly decapitated the one as he whirled around. At first glance he thought he was looking at Talgrun, but he then saw this orc was slightly shorter, a lot less muscled, somewhat younger and less scarred, but otherwise the orc's face looked strikingly like the champion's. A second more and he recalled that this one was called Kirrax. And another second later that Kirrax had been sent for reinforcements.

"Well?! What about the reinforcements?!" He roared at the orc, straining to get above the thunder of the battle.

The orc guided them away from the battle before speaking. "I have returned with four hundred! They have closed of the gap before any undead could get through! More will be coming soon, led by warlord Firetusk himself!"

"Good!" Walken roared back. "Now go tell the champion! He'll want the wolf back as well!" The orc saluted and was of immediately, guiding Sasha along on. Walken stretched to his impressive full height to look across the many warriors, demons and undead. Some distance away he saw the reinforcements, they were doing exactly as Kirrax had said. Knowing that their chances had now gone up greatly made him smile involuntarily.

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

Talgrun fumbled with a bandage as he tried to tie it around his right arm. There was deep cut going from the edge of his armour at the shoulder down to his hands, where only the metal gloves had prevented any further harm. It bled so badly that he wondered whether one of the more important veins had been hit. He had lost his axe an hour ago, so a long sword was now resting against the rock upon which he leaned.

Having worked with bandages before, he quickly managed to adequately tie the cloth around his arm, just in time to see Kirrax approach him with Sasha in tow.

"And?" He asked when Kirrax was close enough to hear. Kirrax only gestured of to the left as if presenting an actor on stage. The reinforcements had already closed the gap there. "Good work!" He gave the only slightly shorter orc a friendly pat on the shoulder.

"Firetusk will be here, soon, with more reinforcements!" Kirrax added.

Talgrun nodded and then told the orc to return to battle. Sasha came over to him, allowing him to mount. While flexing his right arm, the fingers on his left hand played with the new necklace that hung around his neck. It was made of the broken claw of the dreadlord he had killed during his not-quite-suicide assignment, which had become lodged in his shoulder when the dreadlord died. It wasn't much to look at, just the broken claw with thick leather strap attached to it. But any demon with even half a brain would know what it meant. More than a few of the more intelligent demons, doomguard and eredar, had faltered upon seeing it.

Involuntarily his gaze was suddenly drawn to something amongst the demonic horde. Not the sheer size of it, nor the chaotic castings of the eredar, but one towering figure. He could not pull his gaze away. The figure stared right back at him. He had the feeling as if he stood but a few feet in front of the demon, so much had his eyes focused upon it. Archimonde frowned at him. Talgrun felt drawn to those frowning eyes, in which a light of an unnatural colour burned. They tried to suck him in, he realized. He strained to pull away from those eyes, and only through use of all his willpower did he succeed. Careful to not be pulled in, he looked again. Archimonde was still looking at him, but it seemed the spell, if it had been that, was not in effect anymore. He no longer felt drawn to those unnatural eyes, he could hardly even discern them from this distance.

Although he was not pulled in again, he realized Archimonde now knew he was still very much alive, if he didn't before. The knowledge that Talgrun's very presence might cause Archimonde to push even harder against their position unnerved him. So far though, nothing seemed to have changed. Until he noticed another figure, not so far away, amongst the Legion. A one horned dreadlord.

Dethrox.

Dethrox looked back at him and seemed to gesture for him to come. Talgrun returned the gesture and waited. To his disappointment the dreadlord disappeared amongst a group of doomguard. _Come then, you coward! We have unfinished business!_

* * *

Midday - Day 21 

"So that pesky orc is still alive?!" Dethrox asked no one in particular. _He must be dealt with! _Archimonde's voice roared in his head. _This is your chance at redemption! Kill him once and for all! _He could feel Archimonde leave his mind, the demon lord having more pressing matters to attend to, leaving Dethrox free to say or think what he wanted without fear that the archdemon would hear. His hand involuntarily went to spot on his ribcage where Talgrun had broken his ribs on two different occasions. "Damn that hardy orc to the beyond!" He cursed not for the first time. "He should have been dead far to often!"

But then his hand touched the many areas where Archimonde had tortured, punished, him for not being able to deal with the orc. At least that was how Dethrox saw it. For it was because of Talgrun that that young orc warchief had managed to escape his grasp, and that his assault in the Barrens had failed. And even when it was Archimonde himself who had failed to permanently get rid of the orc, it had been Dethrox who had suffered for it, for having let it come to that. Only the small amount of potential he still had according to the demonlord had been his rescue. "If I fail again, there will be no mercy, no more chances. It'll be death or eternal torture! Rightfully so!" That was the way of the Legion. Dethrox could consider himself lucky to have not been destroyed the first time he had failed because of Talgrun. Archimonde normally had very little patience with his subordinates, less even then Mannoroth, who had been the one to give Dethrox a second chance when the orc warchief had escaped.

He stepped out of the group of doomguards he had used for cover from Talgrun's eyes, and started towards the frontlines. He had long noticed that Talgrun still had an aura of ancient magic around him, although the orc seemed neither effected by it nor seemed to be using it. "Perhaps when I have finally killed him, I can have a chance at whatever it is that radiates that energy." Fearing he might be heard by Archimonde, he didn't dare say what else he thought. _And perhaps I can use it to get away from the Legion, away from Archimonde. _For despite the fact he believed Archimonde to have been fully in his right to punish, Dethrox still harboured a hate against the demonlord and many of the other leaders of Legion. A hate that had build up over many centuries, but only recently had it increased manifold through Talgrun.

Talgrun had seen him again. He was riding a wolf it seemed. The orc rode parallel to the defenders lines, beckoning for Dethrox to come over. Dethrox moved in the same direction, walking parallel to the frontline as well, returning the gestures. The demons and undead parted before him so could walk unhindered.

"I guess I can't convince you to come to me?" Dethrox asked, using spells to make sure Talgrun heard loud and clear.

"Why don't you come over here?" The orc replied arrogantly.

"Then perhaps I will!" With the help of a few beats of his wings, Dethrox jumped over the defenders, landing just in front of Talgrun.

Some of the defenders immediately turned to face him, but Talgrun stopped them with a gesture of his hand. "This one is _mine_!" The orc shouted at the defenders. Reluctantly, the defenders returned to fighting the demons and undead, but for a while longer they would cast suspicious glances towards Dethrox.

While Talgrun dismounted and spoke something to the wolf, Dethrox noticed the new necklace the orc was wearing. The wolf slowly stepped away from it's master, reluctantly. Dethrox gave the wolf a single look of contempt but then focused upon Talgrun again. "He was a fool!" He stated as he pointed at the necklace Talgrun was wearing. Dethrox had of course known what it meant. "He never had been capable of serious thought, only living for carnage. I guess that is what he got!"

"You're not any different!" Talgrun returned vehemently, actually making Dethrox consider it.

"Before, perhaps. . . But not anymore."

They were interrupted when a pair of night-elves appeared. One on the ground while the other was up on the boulders. The one on the ground, a female, spoke. "Tagrun! Step away we'll. . ." As she spoke various archers appeared on the boulders, ready to fire upon Dethrox.

Talgrun did not let her fully state her intentions, though. "None of that! He is _mine_!"

"But we have him!" The elf on the boulders protested.

"No you don't." Dethrox simply said. Without even moving a finger, all the arrows readied on the various bows suddenly snapped in two. Dethrox then turned to the female night-elf, whom he finally recognised. "Hello again. . . Commander Kaylin!"

The elf trembled with anger upon being spoken to by a dreadlord, but then recognised the dreadlord as well. "Dethrox?!"

"Indeed." From his hands shot forth two bolts of shadowy energy. They impacted the elf and threw her back a few feet. Talgrun seemed ready to run towards the elf and check her for any life, but Dethrox headed him of. "She'll be fine in a few moments."

"Zarius, get back to attacking the flyers! I will deal with Dethrox." Talgrun said confidently. For a moment it seemed this 'Zarius' would disobey, but in the end Talgrun's authority held. It was just the two of them now. Well, not completely just the two of them, the wolf still lurked somewhere, always just outside of Dethrox's view. "Alright then." Without further warning, Talgrun charged, swinging a long sword as he did so. Dethrox parried with the claws on one hand and tried to cast a spell with other, but when he unleashed it, his hand was diverted away from Talgrun when the latter batted it away with a backhanded blow.

_This might take a while. . . _He grinned and hoped it would.

* * *

Afternoon - Day 21 

"Get on your feet! There is no time for rest!" William shouted at a small group of soldiers. They were exhausted, just like everybody else.

"We. . . Can't. . ." One protested, breathing heavily at the same time.

"I will have none of that! Get back to the battle! Over there if you will, they need the help!" The one who had spoken before started opening his mouth to protest. "NOW!" William bellowed at them. After taking one last quick sip from their water, weapons were drawn again and the soldiers went back to the battle.

After wiping a few drops of sweat from his forehead with an armoured glove, something to the side caught William's attention. The reinforcements from earlier were being pressed hard, but it seemed more were inbound. A large force was racing down the slopes from behind the defenders. Peering through his binoculars, of which one glass was broken now, he quickly saw it was warlord Firetusk in the lead. He tried waving at the warlord, but Firetusk could not possibly have seen him.

Mere seconds later, an unexplainable sense of dread took over. _There is something wrong! _A shiver went down his spine. Something in the air itself caused it, or perhaps he was finally losing control of his senses. He looked around in an attempt to detect the cause and quickly found it. It was Archimonde himself casting a spell. The new reinforcements were almost at the defenders when the spell was unleashed. A tear in the air seemed to form in front of Archimonde. It stretched towards the defenders, growing wider as it did so. Every being it touched was torn apart by some invisible force when they were touched by the tear. It killed defenders, demons and undead indiscriminately. Anything it touched was doomed to a painful death.

The tear did not head in William's direction, though. It headed straight for the new reinforcements, and straight through the defenders holding the line there. Strangely enough the tear stopped just before it would have hit the first of the reinforcements, which would have been Firetusk. But the damage had already been done. Demons and undead poured through the new breach, quickly widening it. More and more poured through. The reinforcements tried to mend the gap, but were overwhelmed, there were just to many pouring through the gap.

Many of the fast undead quickly spread out behind the defenders' lines and then surrounded the newly arrived reinforcements. Within a minute there was nothing left of the reinforcements, every single one dead, including Firetusk.

Most of the demons that had poured through then concentrated on moving further uphill or moving to attack the middle of the defenders' lines from behind.

"Damn it all!" He shouted. Already he could see what remained of the original reinforcements start to retreat towards the boulders. "Damn it all to whatever lies beyond this world!" He continued cursing even while he started searching for Walken or anybody else he could trust with something of importance. "You!" He pulled the shorter orc away from the battle, There had been no immediate threat nearby anyway. "Adonai. I need someone to tell them to cover our left and rear! You're it!" He meant the defenders which were now retreating towards them. The young orc quickly looked at what he meant and then nodded. "Make sure they cover the boulders and have them position their archers and sharpshooters on top of those boulders!" Adonai looked unsure as he tried to process the sudden flood of information. "You got that!?"

A second of hesitation later the answer came, "YES!"

"Then go!" The boy was of quickly, leaving William to continue his cursing as he looked for the next person he needed.

For a moment surprise took over when he saw Talgrun was still battling one on one with Dethrox. They had been at it for a while now. Talgrun had landed some blows on Dethrox, for cuts and bruises decorated every inch of the dreadlord, but nothing very serious, except that the claws one hand had been reduced to stubs. It seemed the other way around was also true. Talgrun's greatest enemy right now seemed exhaustion. Sweat mixed with blood sprayed around whenever he made a sudden move. Part of him was actually on fire. The large orc's right foot was burning with black fire that just could not be doused whatever Talgrun tried to do so, yet it seemed to be little more than a distraction to the veteran orc.

He felt awkward disturbing their duel, but he had to, he had no idea what else to do about the new situation. "Talgrun!"

Talgrun turned slightly to look at him for a split second. Fanatic bloodshot eyes met with William's for a second. Reason was no longer driving Talgrun. It was just vengeance and rage now. "Stay out of it!" Talgrun roared angrily.

The will to continue quickly fled from William, but he had to. "The reinforcements have been destroyed, along with most of what's been holding the line to our left. We are being surrounded!"

For a moment it seemed Talgrun hadn't been listening, but then the huge orc asked in a short burst in between parrying Dethrox and swinging the sword, "What about Firetusk?!"

"Warlord Firetusk is dead!"

A moment of silence, at least between the two combatants, passed while Talgrun processed the information. When the moment passed, Talgrun let loose a loud roar and struck upward with his free fist against Dethrox's jaw, who was forced backwards by the blow. Forced back far enough for Talgrun step to William. The much shorter human suddenly felt very pathetic and weak when Talgrun picked him up by the collar with just his left hand. The bloodshot eyes locked onto those of William. "You're in charge! Deal with it! Have whatever is left of them protect our left and rear!" The orc then threw William away slightly.

William managed to land properly. _Already did that. _But he didn't have the stomach to actually say it, fearful of how Talgrun might react. _So there is nothing left to try. . . No way out, we'll be surrounded._ For a short while he watched Talgrun battle Dethrox, but eventually he just walked away. Hopeless as he was, he cast his eyes skyward, in hopes of finding something up there that might be helpful. But then he found it. The sun, it had greatly progressed on it's way towards to the horizon. While the battle had seemed to have taken an eternity, it had in fact truly gone on for a considerable amount of time now.

Filled with new hope, he climbed the boulders, needing the dodge the claws of a gargoyle while he did so. Upon reaching the topmost boulder he pulled out his binoculars and peered through them.

There!

He saw it!

The sign!

A large red flag waved on the end of a long pole. The sign that the preparations for the trap were almost, if not completely, done. Ecstatic, and perhaps not quite sane anymore, he pulled the nearest night-elf to him, one he recalled being called Zarius, and pointed towards the red flag in the distance. The taller elf, night-elven eyes being far superior to a human's, quickly saw it and his face also took on an immensely relieved expression. A smile decorating the elf's visage, Zarius nodded to William and then started shouting at the others still on top of the boulders, most likely relaying them the news. Some started cheering, while others just went on with firing what arrows and bullets they had left with renewed hope.

Restraining himself only barely from jumping of the boulders, what would have surely resulted in a broken leg if not worse, he climbed down and started spreading the news.

"Just hold on a little longer! It won't take much longer!" Everywhere where the defenders could do so, they started retreating up the slopes or into makeshift fortresses like the one William stood in front of. Archimonde had passed them by, not even casting a glance in their direction.

Confident of himself in his assurance that he was about to usurp what he had come to this world for, Archimonde taunted the defenders one last time. "THIS IS ALMOST TO EASY! If I HAD KNOWN THIS MORTAL RESISTANCE WOULD BE SO WEAK, I WOULD HAVE LAUNCHED THIS INVASION CENTURIES AGO!" William cast a glance up towards the World Tree. The huge, majestic, tree dominated the skyline to the north. It's peak was lost in the dark clouds. William knew not what sort of trap had been laid, but he was confident that it would destroy Archimonde, for so much effort had been put into creating and defending it.

* * *

Afternoon - Day 21 

Xani had heard the news that the red flag was now visible, that the trap was set. She had come outside to see it for herself. Upon seeing it hope had filled her. _Just a little while longer. _She kept saying to herself.

But curiosity had gotten the better of her. She had heard from the few healers that still remained that Talgrun was apparently battling a dreadlord on his own, and did not wished to be disturbed as he did so. The truth of it was quickly known to her. She had no trouble recognising the one horned Dethrox.

"Talgrun!" she shouted at him. Almost had she shouted that the trap had been set, but thought better of it, for she knew that Dethrox might well relate the news in some way to Archimonde. She did not want to be responsible for ruining everything.

Talgrun became distracted upon hearing her voice, almost fatally. A spell impacted his chest flinging him away against one of the boulders. Or at least it would have been fatal to an average night-elf, Talgrun merely shrugged it of. Attention focused upon Dethrox again, Talgrun turned the sword he had been holding over in his hands so he was holding the tip, and then threw it at Dethrox. Dethrox tried to get out of the way, but lacked the energy to do so, exhaustion now getting to the dreadlord as well. The sword embedded itself tip first into the right side of Dethrox's chest. Talgrun was on his feet quickly and sprinted to the stricken dreadlord like a maniac, the intention to rip the dreadlord apart with just his hands clear on his face.

Even though Xani had expected to see Talgrun this fanatic if she would ever be witness of a duel between the orc and Dethrox, it scared her to actually see him such. Talgrun never got to actually rip the dreadlord apart. He bowled the dreadlord over and started to pull on the sword still embedded within latter's chest. Then an ominous roar from behind her made Xani turned around. Just in time, for demons and undead were incoming. The lines of the defenders had broken. She could see what remained of the defenders retreating amongst the boulders where they would try to hold.

After quickly drawing her sword, she parried a felguard's sword, but found she was pushed back by the sheer strength the felguard possessed. She stepped back towards the passage where she had emerged from the collection of boulders. The demons and undead slowly closed in, cutting her of from Talgrun. She could still see their struggle, though.

Dethrox had managed to get one hoof underneath Talgrun. Through sheer strength, the dreadlord launched Talgrun of him. Talgrun hit the ground hard where his remaining momentum made him roll in Xani's direction, he bowled over a pair of ghouls before he finally came to rest against the boulders.

"Hold still!" Someone shouted from above. Just as the first of the felhounds lunged towards Xani, arrows rained down upon the demons and undead. She looked up to see her father with a dozen of archers. "Get inside!" He shouted at her. She nodded and started to pull on Talgrun's body in an attempt to drag him inside. He was far to heavy though and he seemed to be unconscious. As if she had been waiting for this very moment, Sasha appeared from behind a smaller boulder and started to push against Talgrun limp body, the giant wolf far more capable of pushing such an immense weight.

His eyes opened again. "We need to get inside." She said just loud enough to be heard. He blinked twice, regaining his senses, and then jumped to his feet.

"Dethrox!" He roared, but the advancing demons and undead, who were still being held at bay by the archers above, had cut access to Dethrox of. The dreadlord was visible though. Looking just as enraged as Talgrun was, the dreadlord pulled the sword from his chest and seemed to be trying to get the demons and undead to move aside, but they didn't listen anymore.

"Come on, we need to get inside, we're holding them of there." She put an arm in front of his chest and tried to push him inside. Eventually he gave in and did as she wanted, leaving Dethrox. Soldiers came to cover the passage after they had passed through it.

Amongst the boulders they could easily be heard without raising their voices much, for the monstrous roar of battle decreased greatly as they went further into the boulder fortress. Soldiers were protecting each passage that lead into the various open spaces amongst the boulders. Looking as if dazed, Talgrun was slowly letting his gaze pass over the entire room they were in now. "Jonno. . ." He muttered upon looking at one of the many corpses in one corner. Xani cast her eyes downward, chills running across her spine as she thought back to Jonno's death. "Firetusk. . ." Talgrun muttered then, looking to the east where the warlord and his reinforcements had been utterly annihilated.

"Talgrun?" She asked concerned.

As if something had snapped back into place, Talgrun briefly looked at her, most of the vengeful madness gone, and then looked at the soldiers present. Calculations seemed to be going inside his mind as he took stock of everybody's condition. After finishing, he briefly looked at her and smiled, before starting to order everybody around. Soldiers were repositioned, the few remaining officers were talked to, order was created.

_Now we just need hold on a bit longer. _She thought as she went back to what she did best, healing the injured. Knowing that the collection of boulders made for a natural fortress made her confident that it was entirely possible.

Just before sundown - Day 21

* * *

"At last! The way to the World Tree is clear!" Archimonde said to himself as he gazed upon the World Tree but a few hundred feet away. "Witness the end you mortals! The final hour has come!" He roared at anybody who was close enough to hear. Already he could feel the immense powers emanating from the tree. They coursed through him. And as they did so, he absorbed them, making him grown not only in power, but physically as well. With each step closer to the World Tree he grew. The trees became but toothpicks that cracked underneath his feet, while the World Tree still towered over him. _Finally, it is mine! These puny races are to be commended for their efforts to protect it, but nothing can stand before the might of the BURNING LEGION! _

He climbed to the peak of the mountain, grabbed hold of one of the thick roots and then pulled himself up so his feet were near where the World Tree's trunk became roots that burrowed deep into the ground. Grabbing hold of the trunk he gazed up at one of the most impressive things he had seen in his entire, long, life. Even though most of the tree was lost in the clouds, with his heightened senses he could still see every inch of it. Involuntarily he started to move his tail in excitement.

Having seen enough of the tree, he was going to devour it anyway, he bend towards the tree and concentrated upon usurping the power. A horn blowing in the distance caught his attention. He hadn't seen any mortals near the tree on his way up. _No matter, they will be dealt with once I am finished. _A soft wind picked up, quickly increasing in strength. Still nothing to worry about, he would not let anything distract him now, especially the pathetic attempt of some spirit of nature, so he closed his eyes to better concentrate upon the power so close by.

But then something did distract him. A nagging in the back of his mind that something was wrong. He opened his eyes to look around. His view was immediately filled with many small wisps of light. Hundreds of them. Thousands of them! A burning sensation unlike any he had felt before started within his insides. He looked down at his chest and saw it was radiating blue light. _This is not right! I have been trapped! _He raised an arm towards his chest, but found he could only do so with the utmost difficulty. The wisps whirled all around him, radiating energy unimaginable. The burning sensation increased until it became true pain, something he had not felt for himself for a long time. Then it increased more. The blue aura radiating from his chest spread to all his body parts.

The pain made any rational though impossible. Despite himself he roared in pain. _None can stand against the burning Legion!_ He thought desperately in the hopes it would allow him to channel some sort of spell to free him of his torment. But he couldn't cast anything. He wouldn't even have been capable of lighting a campfire.

Then the pain ceased suddenly. The blue aura expanded away from him. The spell cast upon him had ceased! _HAH! None can stand befo-- _The blue aura collapsed back upon him. And with a flash of blinding light. . .

. . . He exploded.

Within an instant every tree within a several miles radius was burned to the ground. All the power that had been within him and the many thousands of wisps was now unleashed in one gigantic explosion. A wall of fire stormed down the slopes of the mountain as a result.

* * *

Adonai saw one of the human warriors, who had been outside to protect one of the entrances, enter the space between the boulders where most of them were gathered. "The Legion, they are retreating! All of them! See for yourself!" They did, all of them did. They poured out of their fortress and gathered on the south side of it. The demons and undead, all of them rushed passed them down the slopes as if their life depended on it. Talgrun was looking up the mountain at the source of their fear. Adonai did not, he only saw demons running away, something he had wished to see, remained alive to see. 

"Take that!" He shouted, running down the slopes after a doomguard, enthusiasm having gotten the best of him.

Only several seconds later did he hear Talgrun shout, "NO! Everybody stay inside! Take cover amongst the boulders!" Only then did Adonai look back. His lower jaw dropped in awe, both at his own stupidity to immediately run out and at the massive firestorm that thundered down the mountain. "Adonai! GET INSIDE!" Talgrun shouted. The older orc was already running towards him to drag him back to the boulders if need be. Everybody else had already managed to get back inside. Adonai had only managed one step when Talgrun had already arrived. The veteran orc looked back one second and then pulled Adonai down to the ground. "Make yourself as small as possible, close your eyes and hold your breath!" Talgrun ordered. Adonai did so.

Talgrun cast an arm around Adonai to make sure the younger orc would not accidentally get away and then shifted his feet to get as much grip as possible. He huddled over Adonai to shield him from the oncoming flames.

The flames hit. Heat enveloped them. A deafening roar filled their ears. Hair was scorched away wherever flames touched it. Adonai smelled burned flesh, possibly his own for he felt as if he were being burned alive, even though he wasn't breathing and thus should not smell anything. He felt a thud and had almost opened his eyes to look, but quickly realized the flames would burn the soft tissue of his eyes away immediately. He could only guess that the thud had been a body colliding with them. The fire seemed to rage endlessly. Adonai's breath began to run out, but he kept his mouth closed, knowing what the heat would do if he breathed.

All the while he wondered why Talgrun had come out to do this. Did he think he could somehow withstand the heat better and then protect him? But then why would he take the risk? He decided it was neither place nor the time to think of it further.

The flames abruptly stopped. It was as if an immense weight fell away from him. It remained smoulderingly hot, but the flames were gone, mostly. The smell of burned flesh stayed and increased even. He became aware of burns all over his body. But upon shaking of the original surprise at having survived the firestorm, he looked at Talgrun. The back of Talgrun's armour was completely black from burns, while everything else was covered in soot. Most of Talgrun's hair had been scorched away, as Adonai's had probably as well. The back of Talgrun's armour was so hot it still made hissing noises as it touched his skin. Adonai now saw it had in fact been the body of a demon that had collided with them. A felguard he suspected, for it's sword was stuck in Talgrun's back.

Yet, despite all this, Talgrun was very much alive. "You idiot!" He shouted. "What did I say? Stay inside! But what did you do!? You ran of like a dwarf chasing a treasure!" Adonai couldn't help but grin. Talgrun was quick to stand up straight. "Damn!" He shouted upon feeling the hot armour on his back. "Get it of!" he tried to undo the bonds that kept his armour together, but his burned fingers made it impossible.

The older orc did not even seem to notice the sword, but perhaps all the burns had diminished his ability to feel all the many different things that hurt. Adonai quickly pulled the sword out of the other orc and showed it. Talgrun just looked at it for a moment with surprise, but then continued to demand the armour be taken of. Adonai's much thinner, and less burned, fingers quickly unlatched the bonds. The back armour fell away, revealing that Talgrun's back had not yet been burned to badly yet, but lying on his back would not be an option for a while without serious healing.

Talgrun sighed in relief as the hot armour fell to the ground. "Finally!"

In silence they looked down the slopes at the remaining demons retreating far below, both of them then sighed in the knowledge that the battle was over. They then both turned around and started walking towards the boulders. The others were now emerging again, and started cheering at them. Adonai quickly picked out his mother amongst them. She was not hard to spot, as she was one of those running down towards them.

Talgrun looked at one of those running down as well. Xani it was for him. He smiled and then looked at the others one by one, William, Björn, Walken, Kirrax, Kaylin, Zarius and lastly Sasha. No words they could have spoken would have been appropriate. Talgrun only patted Adonai's shoulder twice and then, just before he would have collapsed from his new injuries, let himself be supported by the first to arrive, Walken.


	37. Chapter 35: Eternity's End

**Chapter 35: Eternity's End**

"He got away again, didn't he?" Xani asked as she tended to his wounds. They sat facing each other, so that Xani could more easily take care of Talgrun's hands, which had been burned badly during the firestorm.

They were seated on top of the boulders, along with everybody else who had survived, the boulders having only barely cooled down enough after the firestorm that had passed but minutes ago. Together everybody tended to everybody's wounds, racial differences, at least for now, completely gone. Everybody was to relieved to care who sat next to them. And together they waited, for none of them had the desire to go out and tell somebody they were alive. Nor was it necessary to anything, at least for now, resting was all that needed to be done. All they had done to announce their survival was planting a flag on a high pole in the middle of the boulders. What used to have been the proud banner of the Silverblades, was now but a torn cloth. It still flapped proudly, though, as a signal to all others.

Talgrun looked down the slopes. Everywhere he could see the landscape was scorched. It was as if they had gone to an entirely new world where everything was black. Fires dotted the landscape where little bits of flammable material remained, the firestorm had been pretty thorough, though. He could imagine the Legion was now either retreating away from them somewhere beyond that shimmering horizon, or falling into chaos now that it's leadership had been reduced to cinders.

"If he survived the firestorm, he'll find his way away from here. . ." He didn't care to speculate further, for there were to many things that Dethrox might be capable of in order to get himself out of danger.

"Will you try to go after him?" She asked, fearing he might try to exact vengeance even after the Legion's defeat.

The massive orc hung his head, and looked at the scorched boulder he sat on. The firestorm had boiled away most of the blood, otherwise he might have just been looking at small pools of blood. Eventually he said, "Perhaps, if I know where he is. . . But I won't go looking for him. For now there are more important things. . ." He looked to the north where there was now only a scorched forest with the charred World Tree still standing some distance away. From the blackened forest appeared many figures. They looked for survivors. He could imagine one of them being warchief Thrall, the one who would be responsible for finding the orcs and their allies a new home. "Homes need rebuilding. . ." He muttered after a while, and then looked at the others on the boulders.

"Yes, many homes." She remained quiet for a long while, as she tried to convince herself to ask, "And what about us?"

He sighed and hung his head again, smiled at some thought, and then looked up at her, this time with sadness in his eyes. "You and I both know that, at least for now, that is not possible. To much needs to be done before we can think of such things, especially us." His hand, the one she had just finished healing, came to rest far more gently on her shoulder than the hugeness of it made seem possible, and squeezed ever so slightly. "I mean, orcs will be building a new home over there. . ." He pointed a newly healed finger at a slight unevenness of the boulder. ". . . And you night-elves will be doing the same over there." He pointed at another unevenness that was a few inches away from the first. "If you understand what I mean." She nodded solemnly. "And unfortunately, my people might just be looking to me for guidance like they will be looking to the Warchief. I am, after all, their _champion_."

"Unfortunately?" She quickly finished healing his other hands so she was free to look into his eyes, to look for the answer.

"I never asked for this. . ." He gestured at the, now ruined, ornate armour that so set him apart from the regular grunts and other officers. "I would have been content to remain a sergeant. I only agreed to this because the Warchief convinced me it was best for my people."

"But you did a lot of good by doing so. . ."

"I suppose so. . ." His gaze shifted to the various figures that were emerging from the burned forest up the slopes. "And I am going to have to do a bit more now." He stood up and started towards an edge of the boulder below which Sasha would be waiting.

"Wait! The rest of your wounds. . ."

". . . Are only minor now, thanks to you." He finished for her, and then climbed down, leaving behind a saddened Xani.

She could hear him mounting Sasha and then riding of, presumably to tell others of their situation. In the following minute, she tried to imagine what the near future might be, but each time she found it was impossible. At least for a while it would remain but a dream. "He said what I tried to make clear to you before, didn't he?" Zarius asked. She hadn't even noticed him sitting down next to her. She only barely tried to cover her sadness when she looked at her father. "So he did. . ." He said, effectively reading her face perfectly. She hung her head, no longer capable of even trying to hide her sadness. He wrapped a fatherly arm around her to comfort her.

* * *

That night a great number of newly lit fires burned. Talgrun had been staring at one in particular for a while when Jirina walked up to him with Adonai in tow. Talgrun had seen such fires often before, far to often, he realized now. Within this particular fire lay the remains of Kargagtha and warlord Firetusk along with several others. They had only been able to find parts of the warlord, his body completely torn to shreds by undead ghouls. Kirrax stood somewhere to Talgrun's left, head hung forward and muttering something.

"She was a good warrior." Jirina said after she to had looked at the decaying remains for a while. "He was a good warrior _and_ a good leader."

Talgrun sighed heavily and after momentarily looking at Jirina, continued to look at the fire. "They were both good friends. . ." Jirina nodded her agreement.

Others were having similar feelings. Walken couldn't help but think of Ysondra, his now long dead love, when he looked at the fires. However, looking at them, he now felt capable of closing that chapter of his life and starting a new one. One where memories of the past would not haunt him.

William and Björn looked at the fire as well, seeing within it the decaying remains of a reluctant friend and ally. Neither said it, but they whished the orc had not died.

Even general Trent came to this particular fire. He was not here for Kargagtha, he wasn't even aware she had ever existed. It was warlord Firetusk whom he was there for. Even now he knew he would always be prejudiced against orcs, but this warlord had managed to earn his respect, a hard thing to accomplish for any being, even humans. Across from him, on the other side of the fire, stood Talgrun. He looked at the far larger orc, one other who had earned a slight bit of respect, even though he still disliked the orc very much, and thought, _After we leave this mountain behind, I hope to never see you again._

"Why are you here?" The woman behind him asked. Never had she gone further than two hundred feet away from him since he had rescued her after the collapse of the Alliance defence. Initially he had been greatly irritated by her, but he had come to get used to her presence. "These are the orcs. . ."

Without turning to look at her, he said, "To pay my respect to a fellow leader." He didn't take very much longer to do so and quickly left.

Elsewhere there was also a fire burning. This one for the night-elves. They did not usually perform such rituals, but in times as this they made an exception. Amongst many others, it was Jonno who lay within this one. It was Xani who stood at the rim of the fire, peering into it to discern the decaying remains of Jonno. Next to her stood Zarius.

She almost jumped when she suddenly felt a heavy hand upon her shoulder. "Where is he?" Talgrun asked, searching through the many corpses without looking at Xani first. Many of the night-elves present momentarily looked at the orc, but then went back their chanting and mourning, they had seen him before and were no longer surprised by his presence.

Xani gestured towards where the elder priest's body lay. "There isn't much left." They remained silent for a while, but eventually Xani couldn't resist to ask, "Where is the commander? You'd think she'd be here."

"Why would she be here? The commander never was one for mourning a fallen fellow." Zarius said.

"Yes, but you'd think she might think differently now. With Jonno."

"Why would she think differently? Why would Jonno be different to her?"

"Never mind." Zarius just shrugged and resumed looking at the fire.

"She'll mourn in her own way. . ." Talgrun said after a few seconds. Talgrun looked at the burning particles as they floated into the air, looking up to do so. Xani only nodded her agreement and continued to look into the fire.

Not far away from them, Kaylin was mourning, but whished to do so without being seen by others. She sat on a branch directly above Xani, Talgrun and Zarius. She had of course noticed the orc looking up. Talgrun looked directly at her and had definitely noticed her, yet he did not tell the others. He smiled briefly, her secret save with him, and then went back to looking at the decaying body of Jonno. She had looked at him appreciatively just before he had looked back at the fire, and had then returned to looking at Jonno.

"Different time, different place. . ." She muttered. A tear rolled of her cheek. She managed to catch it just in time before it would have fallen down on someone below, perhaps alerting them. The hand with the tear she pressed against a cheek, cherishing that one tear, for it was one of the very few in her entire life.

Different time, different place. . ." She repeated.

* * *

Two days later at the base of Mount Hyjal.

"I really don't need all this, warchief." Talgrun said to the much smaller and younger Thrall as they waited behind a wooden platform. In a few moments they would walk up a crude set of stairs to the top of the platform. From there they would be capable of looking over nearly the entire Horde as well as a few from the Alliance and night-elves, all gathered there for a ceremony which included, amongst a few others who had been particularly important during the past few months, Talgrun. But it would be Thrall and Talgrun who would be the ones to start the ceremony. "Before, in the old days, ceremonies like this were carried out in much smaller gatherings. . ." It was a naming ceremony they talked about, one where an orc receives a surname, something considered a great honour and only possible if one had performed some great deed.

"Well. . . I wasn't there in the old days. . ." The warchief muttered. "Besides, the Horde _needs_this. They need to know there is still hope. And things like this will give them that hope."

Thrall was about to climb up the stairs, but Talgrun stopped him by saying, "There is one more thing. . ." He immediately had the warchief's full attention. "I must tell you I will no longer be the champion of the Horde. I have no wish to fight any longer."

"But you have to! There are still uncertain times ahead!"

"Of course, I will. But in a year or so, when things have calmed down a bit. When we have a new home. . . I wish to pass the title of champion to another, for I never wanted it.""

"Then we shall talk about it again when that time comes." The warchief then began to climb the stairs up to the platform, followed soon after by Talgrun. "But until then. . . Be the champion." Thrall added when he momentarily looked back. Talgrun merely nodded.

* * *

Two weeks later.

There he sat, dressed in the new suit of armour he had received but hours ago. The armour was said to be of even greater quality than the previous. In fact, the only thing he could say against the new armour was that it left his arms more exposed. On the ground beneath the bench he sat on lay two newly crafted weapons he had received at the same time as the new armour, a large axe inscribed with so many enchanted runes he could spend hours trying to translate them, and a large ornate longbow that was inscribed with at least as many runes, except these were of a kind he would not be able to translate no matter how much he tried.

All of these items were rewards given to him by the Horde, Alliance and night-elves, the axe even being a gift from warchief Thrall himself.

But despite this sudden flood of gifts, Talgrun couldn't help but feel depressed. Even the cheerfulness that went on around him couldn't elevate his spirit. Tomorrow, after all, would be the last day the Horde would spend on Mount Hyjal. They would retreat away from the mountain, recognising it to be night-elven territory, and would search for a new home in the Barrens and other nearby lands. And that meant him as well. The Alliance would stay a few days more, but then they would also pick up and leave.

Right now though, those three factions were still together in this very clearing, at least a hundred individuals from each anyway. The clearing they were in was filled with many tables and benches, most of which were occupied by people who were in a generally very cheerful mood. Food and drinks were provided for those in the clearing. It was night now, and many torches had been lit to provide sufficient light.

He was barely aware of the things that went on around him though, to caught up in his thoughts was he. He tried to imagine a life without those he had come to know quite closely over the past few months.

First and foremost amongst them was Xani, who was sitting next to him right now, trying her hand at her first ale. An ale that Björn had described as being 'just right'. She was looking into the mug with hesitation, but the others were trying to encourage her into drinking it, although she would only be able to guess at their exact words. He let his eyes stray over to Xani so they might once more burn her image upon themselves, for it might be the last opportunity do so. He had considered every possibility that might allow them to at least prolong their stay together, but everything seemed to be an impossibility. But perhaps in a year or so, when he, if everything went as he hoped it would, would no longer be the _champion_, he could try to find her then. He had a few plans ready for that, and had spoken with Xani about them.

He had been so caught up in those thoughts that he hadn't noticed he had begun to stare at her. Only when she had been staring back at him from over the edge of the mug did he notice. She had taken a small sip, which the others were applauding her for. They were inquiring her what she thought of it. Then it got through their somewhat alcohol influenced heads that she wouldn't understand, so they asked Talgrun to ask her.

"Well?" He asked. "How was it?"

"Terrible." Yet, her tone of voice and expression made it seem quite convincingly as though she had enjoyed it greatly.

"I could switch it for some water. . . I don't think they would notice in their current. . . 'influenced'. . . state."

She cracked a smile and said, "Yes please."

"Well? Mister Redhaze? What did she think of it?" A somewhat intoxicated William asked. Redhaze was the surname Thrall had bestowed upon Talgrun two weeks earlier. Talgrun could more easily imagine living without the veteran human, he had done so for twenty years before meeting him again a few months ago, although he suspected he would still miss the man.

"She loved it!" He answered, lying just as well as Xani had.

"Hmm, I hadn't thought any kind of elf could properly appreciate fine liquor. But I guess there always has to be an exception for everything. . ." Björn mused. Björn was much the same as William to Talgrun, except that earlier conflicts they had had might make it easier.

The final two at their table were Jirina and Walken, although the bench they sat on could hardly be high enough for the massive tauren. The two were engaged in some conversation about what Jirina would do after her child is born. Living without Jirina, and Adonai and his sisters for that matter as well, wouldn't be to much of a problem yet, they would after all be travelling together for a while, at least until a new homeland could be found. The same counted for Walken as well, except that the two of them already knew they were to work, and fight, together for a while longer.

For the most part it wasn't that he couldn't imagine being away from these friends individually, but as a group. There were always at least two nearby, always somebody present.

He was shaken from his contemplation when someone behind him called his name. It was Kaylin, who, as always, was wearing her emotionless mask. "Can I--" She halted upon noticing Xani, who had now noticed the commander as well. Kaylin's eyes flickered between Talgrun and Xani several times, but then she continued as if nothing had happened. "Can I speak with you for a few moments. It won't be long."

"Alright. . ." The others seemed to know what was going on and let him stand up without a word said. Xani followed him as he walked behind the shorter night-elven commander. Kaylin led them a short way into the forest that surrounded this clearing, this bit of forest had been spared by the firestorm. He merely looked at her with curiosity when she halted. Xani remained a few steps back and remained just as quiet.

It was clearly demanding a great deal of effort from the commander to say what she was about to say. "Some time ago, I said I would somehow repay you for pulling me out of that canyon, and thus. . . Rescuing me. Well. . . now I shall do so as well as I can, in the best way that I know of." She kneeled beside a bush, searched the ground underneath it for a few moments, and then stood back up while carrying a long package. Something that was most obviously heavy, Kaylin strained to keep it up, was wrapped in cloth and bound by various strings. She presented it to Talgrun and said, "I hope it--" But she thought better of finishing her sentence and remained quiet.

Talgrun relieved her of the weight. He tried to get an idea of the contents by running his hands along the various shapes. It was most definitely sharp, for he nearly cut his fingers even through the various layers that were wrapped around the object. He wanted to thank the commander, but when he looked back up towards Kaylin, she was gone.

"What is it?" Xani asked as she approached. She came to a halt just beside him and then leaned against him while he started work on removing the strings that kept the wrappings in place.

"I think it's. . ." He didn't finish, for he managed to break the final string. Without the strings, the pieces of cloth wrapped around it were quickly removed. What emerged was actually two objects instead of one. Two swords like the one Kaylin had always used, except a great deal larger. "Yes, it is." He said, confirming his earlier thoughts.

Xani took one of the swords and held it closer to study the markings on the blade. "She must have gone through quite a deal of trouble to have these made." Her sharp eyes noticed something amongst the wrapping that lay on the ground. She picked it from amongst the rest and looked at it. It was a small parchment with a few words on it. "Look!" She waved the parchment in front of Talgrun's eyes.

"Can you read it?" He asked upon recognising it was night-elven writing, something he had no experience with whatsoever.

"Of course!" She brought the parchment up to her eyes, the poor light conditions making it hard for even her to see what was written. "It says: 'That these may someday help you as you helped me.'"

Talgrun smiled at that. "That these may someday save my life as I rescued hers." Talgrun turned to the most likely direction that Kaylin might have gone and whispered, more for himself than the commander, "Thank you."

* * *

One year later, many had found new homes. Amongst them were the dark trolls. The Legion had destroyed many of their villages and had slaughtered their chief as well, while most of their warriors had been defending Mount Hyjal. But new homes had been build and a new chief had been chosen, Gar, for his successful leadership on the mountain. The Shadowtooth tribe had kept skirmishes with the night-elves to a minimum, in order to keep the agreement with them intact, so they wouldn't be actively hunted again.

The Shadowtooth tribe would, at least for a few years, be mostly without worries.

* * *

Elsewhere at that same time, a human captain and dwarven lieutenant sat at a table within a barracks in a new city, Theramore. A large city-island it was becoming. The survivors of the genocide in Lordearon, who had fled across the sea during what was now called the 'Third War', had founded it and it was ruled by Lady Jaina Proudmoore, who lead far better than most had expected a young mage to do so.

William was now the captain of the guards, highest in rank when it came to securing the outer walls of the city. Björn was one of several lieutenants that lead different sections of the walls. So far though, keeping the city secure from outside threats had been extremely easy, as the only trouble they had had was from the wildlife in the nearby swamps.

Although the city lay very near Horde territory, neither the inhabitants of the city, nor the orcs had caused trouble, the truce between Thrall and Jaina holding at least for now. Both William and Björn expected that, unless something serious happened, nothing could endanger that truce.

But for now, William and Björn were but two fellow soldiers sitting at a table with a good ale in front of them at the end of long day.

"Eh. . ." Björn drew William's attention. "Have ye heard?" William's right eyebrow merely went up in a questioning manner. "There's been rumours that there's a fleet of ships searching for this city. They say it's Jaina's father leading them."

"Oh that. . . Yeah, I heard. And I don't think it's all to unlikely either, the Proudmoores _are_ from Kul'tiras. If anybody would sail across the ocean to _visit_family, it would be someone from Kul'tiras. I just hope her father doesn't cause to much trouble when he does get here." Jaina's father was known to hate orcs deeply, not to surprising since the man had fought during the second war.

Björn nodded in agreement, was then about to say something, but halted just after opening his mouth. Someone had entered the room. Many conversations went quiet for a moment, a few hands went up in salute, but then the conversations continued again. The one who had entered stepped towards them. "Look who it is!" Björn said merrily. "What brings you here, general Trent?"

"My need for a good drink!" The general returned, far more merrily than they were used of the young officer.

"You're looking mighty happy tonight, general." William noted, prodding the general for clues.

"Because I am!" For a moment the general went away, but then returned with a large ale in his hands. He sat down at an available chair nearby and gulped away half of his drink before speaking again. "Because I am. You see. . ." Both William and Björn leaned closer to hear. "Just this morning, my son was born!"

"Congratulations!" Björn exclaimed involuntarily. A few others near them let loose a short cheer as well. "And a name?"

"Falkend." Trent answered after a short hesitation. "We wanted something different for a name. . ." He quickly added.

"And how's Sarah?" William inquired.

"It did take a long time, I even got worried something might've gone wrong at one point, but she's doing fine now. And the boy is doing great as well."

"Well, let me just say it again. . . Congratulations." Björn repeated. "I'm sure the boy is destined for great things."

"Of course he is!" Trent nearly shouted, but he then cracked a smile and joined William and Björn in speculating about Jaina's father.

* * *

Somewhere else, on the island where the night-elven capital, Darnassus, lay, a young priestess was sitting against a tree on a hill overlooking a dent in the landscape below. Many other younger night-elves were busy down there as they trained to be next generation of soldiers.

Xani's nimble fingers guided a piece of charcoal over a sheet of paper in long streaks as she drew the ground of the scene she was trying to draw. Without noticing it, her tongue stuck out slightly as she put down a small detail on the ground, before she went on with drawing a few figures in the scene.

So concentrated was she, that she didn't notice the person approaching until the person sat down next to her with a slight grunt. "What are you doing here, Xani?" Zarius asked. Hastily Xani pressed the sheet of paper against her chest so he didn't see. "Aren't you supposed to be in the temple at this time?"

After the war, they had both gone to Darnassus, where Xani had taken a position at the central temple in the capital city, while Zarius had taken to training the next generation of soldiers, although he had pointed out he would not be fighting anymore wars unless absolutely necessary. And he was right, normally she was supposed to be at the temple at this time of night. "I know, but I took a night of. The temple just gets to busy at times for my liking. I needed some time away." Zarius nodded his understanding. "But shouldn't _you_be down there? To train those new recruits. . ."

"Hmm, I took a few minutes of. . . Besides, they're sparring under the guidance of my subordinates, they don't need me for a while. Now, what have you been drawing today?" Reluctantly, she showed him. Zarius sighed upon recognising the scene. "It has been a year, Xani. The war is over." What was evolving on the paper was a scene she had witnessed on Mount Hyjal. A scene of undead overrunning a large group of defenders. Already she had managed to put in a few gruesome details. "You need to move on. . ."

"That's easier said than done, especially if I still have nightmares each time I sleep."

"That's true. . ." Zarius continued studying the drawing and eventually found another curiosity. "And that. . . Is that who I think it is?" He asked as he pointed at a somewhat larger figure which had already received a few features.

"I don't know what you're talking about. . ."

"I think you do. . . And I'll say it again, it has been a year now."

Xani sighed in surrender and then admitted, "Yes. . . It's him."

They both remained quiet a while, thinking, but eventually Zarius asked, "If you knew a way, would you go to see him?"

She answered without much hesitation. "Yes. But I don't know how. I don't even know how to get a message to him. And even if I did know how. . . Well. . . It wouldn't do much good, since I can't write orcish and he can't read night-elven, only speak it." They had talked about meeting each other someday, but that had relied on Talgrun coming to see her some day. They had reasoned that it would be easier to find a night-elf on this single island than it would be to find an orc in all of Kalimdor. But he hadn't yet come to see her.

"No small accomplishment, considering how long he had to learn." Her father pointed out. "Yet, I think, unless something extraordinary happens, you're going to be stuck like this. . . And if that extraordinary thing doesn't happen sometime soon, it might never do you any good. Because, even though we may have given up our immortality when we destroyed Archimonde, we still live many times longer than orcs, including him."

"I know. . ." They fell quiet, knowing any other words spoken about the subject would be unnecessary.

Minutes passed like that, until Zarius finally asked, "Have you heard about the commander?" Xani merely shook her head. Last time she had seen Kaylin had been a few weeks after the end of the war, their paths had parted after that. "Well, I guess she's not a commander anymore. She's been promoted and is now in command of several regiments. She is now in charge of keeping all the wildlife in check that had been corrupted by the Legion's passing. Even now that the demons are mostly gone, they still do damage. I met her after the ceremony. . ." He fell quiet for a few seconds, as he recalled the event. "She has changed, enormously. I had never thought it possible, but while she had seemed like an unemotional husk containing only a military mind, she really is now. I don't think she even recognised me, at least she didn't show it."

"We all lost people in the war, just like her."

"Perhaps it was once to many for her. . ."

"Perhaps. . ."

* * *

Amidst the aptly named plains of the Barrens lay a small village near a small spring of fresh water. It's population mainly consisted of orcs. The village lay far away from the more densely populated areas of the Barrens, just as the inhabitants, mostly tired war veterans and their families, liked it. So far, small groups of centaur had been the only thing they had to deal with, and even those incidents were very few. The inhabitants could readily deal with the primitive centaur. All the houses were of typical orcish design, crude but effective, and lay a good distance apart. Several small farms lay near the village, providing the inhabitants with much needed food.

Two large figures, or rather three, depending on whether one counted wolves, had just topped a nearby hill and had, for the first time, laid eyes upon the village.

"Does that suit you? That village, would you mind living there?" Talgrun asked.

"I already agreed to your suggestion a month ago. . ." Walken muttered. "You don't need to ask again."

"I wasn't talking to you. . ." Talgrun retorted. "I was asking her." Talgrun lay a hand on the head of the one he meant. "Well? Do you mind?" He asked leaning forward. He only received a doglike bark as an answer. "Good!" Talgrun said to Sasha. "No problems then."

The past year had been a strange year for the orcish race. In that year the orcs had found a land to call their own. Yet, the orcs were not a race accustomed to living in such a manner anymore. After the end of the second war many years ago, they had always been fighting, running, or imprisoned. As such many had problems adjusting in the beginning, Talgrun being one of them. He was a warrior, he knew that well enough, but there hadn't been any mentionable conflicts. But after a few months, like most orcs, he had come to enjoy the rest.

In that year, the three of them had hardly been far away from each other. And when, after the year had passed, Talgrun retired quietly as he had predicted the warchief he would, Walken followed him as if it were the only course of action.

"But it looks good. . ." Walken muttered upon looking at the serene village a second time. "I don't mind the prospect of living there. . ."

They approached the two guards which stood near the path that lead into the village and found one of them was awfully familiar. "Talgrun? Walken?" The female guard asked unbelieving.

"Very much so." Talgrun answered. "It's good to see you to, Jirina." She was looking much leaner than last time he had seen her, no doubt the result of her fourth child being born some time ago now. "How's the child?"

"Fine. . . But what are you two doing here?" She asked, unbelieving of the fact they were actually there. Another orc, Adonai, had noticed them as well and was approaching them from within the village.

"We've come to live here. . ." Walken answered.

Talgrun added a nod, but in the back of his mind he had different plans. And in a bag he had the means to perform those plans. Amongst other things, there was a map. A map to an island-city called Darnassus.

_**End?**_

* * *

A/N: Expect one more surprise chapter. 


	38. Chapter 36: Have a Little Pain

Yes, one more chapter.**  
**

**Chapter 36: Have a Little Pain**

Pain coursed through his entire body, again. While for others it had been a year of rebuilding, for Dethrox it had been a year of torture, of pain unimaginable. He hung in the air, arced all the way back under the effects of the torturous magic unleashed by Kil'jaeden. The muscles in his back strained so hard that they were starting to tear themselves apart. It had been hours, but now the pain faded away suddenly, however it never completely vanished. The strain vanished as well, leaving his entire body slack. The only thing keeping him up was Kil'jaeden himself. He had grabbed Dethrox by one wing and kept him aloft.

During this small pause, Dethrox looked back on how he had gotten himself in this mess. The Legion had descended into chaos when Archimonde blew up. Nearly all semblance of leadership had vanished, only the few dreadlords remaining and a few eredar could maintain control over small parts of the Legion. The undead could not be controlled, nor could most of the demons. Only infernals, easily influenced by those who knew how, and doomguard, far more intelligent than most demons, allowed themselves to be controlled.

Using those few doomguard and infernals, a group of dreadlords and eredar had tried to keep the rest of the Legion at bay while they figured out a way to get themselves out of there. They cared not what the consequences would be, they just cared about getting out of there, alive, for there was no reason for them to stay. And it had been Dethrox who had found a way out.

Archimonde, or rather Archimonde's power. Archimonde had already been drawing enormous amounts of energy from the World Tree when he exploded. And all of the power Archimonde had already usurped had been spread over the land along with his inherent power. In time the power would find it's way back, but that was not what concerned Dethrox. The plan had been to create a portal of this world, either to another world or into the Twisting Nether, the realm of the Legion, but they did not have the insane amounts of power required to do so. But even though all of Archimonde's power was spread over the land, that which they could gather was still more than enough to create a small portal large enough just for them.

Thus they performed an act that, if Archimonde had been alive to witness, would have meant their death, for what they were doing was essentially usurping the power of Archimonde, no matter their reasons. But the demon lord wasn't there, so they felt confident enough to do it. Dethrox even found himself gathering some of the power for himself, something none of the others dared to do. There was so much of it he just couldn't resist, even though he'd never be able to put it to good use with his relatively pathetic talents at the arcane arts, compared to Archimonde.

The portal had formed and was just large enough and lasted just long enough for them to pass through. The doomguard and infernals they left behind, for what were they, but a few out of the many, _many_more that remained in the Twisting Nether.

But Kil'jaeden had not agreed with their actions upon finding out. He had found it outrageous that they had retreated like cowards, but he had been even more outraged to find out how they had performed that retreat. And as such, every time Kil'jaeden had the time to do so, he tortured them. And Dethrox could not, in all honesty, disagree, for it was the way of the Legion. Kil'jaeden seemed especially wrathful with Dethrox, for it had been him who had come up with the plan. And any time the demon lord did not have time, he had minions do the torturing for him. But even all this time, Dethrox had managed to keep that power he had taken on Azeroth hidden, even from Kil'jaeden.

Dethrox knew very well that Kil'jaeden was very forgiving, especially for a demon. He often gave second, even third, chances to those who had failed him. And the fact that Dethrox had been spared an ultimate demise so far, probably meant such a chance might be very possible.

He had had many second chances. In recent time one from Mannoroth, after failing to kill or capture the orc warchief at the Warsong clan village, and then one from Archimonde, who was generally not the forgiving type, after failing to destroy the Alliance/Horde outpost in the Barrens. Although the latter had not let getting that chance been easy.

But none of the pain Archimonde had caused him then was even remotely comparable to what Kil'jaeden had put him through now. Spells had prevented him from going unconscious because of the pain, while other spells had prevented Dethrox from 'adjusting' to the pain, so he felt everything in full force, every single time. Many times Kil'jaeden had killed him, only to bring him back and kill him again.

Suddenly Kil'jaeden let go of him. He fell to the ground, from a height of several dozen feet, and landed on his face. For the thousandth time he became aware of the red cracked stones that made up the ground. Within the cracks glowed red light, betraying a fire that raged below the surface. The stones were searing hot and burned his knees and hands, and because of the spells put on him, even this relatively minor pain felt as if he was being skinned alive with a hot jagged knife that had been dipped in acid.

Both of his broken wings touched the ground, yet he did not have the strength to lift them high enough. If he could look back he might have seen that the leathery fabric of the wings had actually caught on fire when a stream of fire had burst from in between the cracked rocks.

Then even this pain faded. Kil'jaeden had grabbed his neck and had lifted him of the ground. Dethrox could not keep his eyes fixed upon the demon lord, but that wasn't a problem for what Kil'jaeden had planned. While keeping Dethrox up with his left, the demon lord rose his right in preparation, fingers and thumb pointing towards Dethrox's head. A spell, the effects of which Dethrox could only guess at, was cast. Then, under the influence of another spell, Kil'jaeden's right hand suddenly shrunk. What had been a hand large enough to encompass Dethrox's entire head, was now smaller than Dethrox's own hand.

The hand moved towards Dethrox's head. All of a sudden Kil'jaeden's intentions became eerily clear. Weariness forgotten, his gaze fixed upon the approaching hand. With all his remaining strength and even some he didn't know he had, Dethrox tried to wiggle out of Kil'jaeden's iron grip. But it was no use, Kil'jaeden was to strong. For a moment he considered using the power he had gathered on Azeroth right now, but that would ruin what he had planned to use it for. So, no matter how much it pained him even before Kil'jaeden had started, he had to endure.

The hand halted just in front of Dethrox's face, the left side of his face, his left eye. Then, without warning, the hand shot forth. The sharp nails dug into the soft tissue around Dethrox's eye. The fingers, the nails, dug deeper and deeper, impossibly deep. An insane pain coursed through Dethrox. He screamed his lungs out, literally almost. But neither the pain in his lungs nor the one in his throat could even begin to compare to that in his left eye.

He could feel the hand grab his eye, tearing through even more tissue. If Dethrox had been able to see such things, he would have seen Kil'jaeden's hand flaring up with black energy. It burned madly, searing the tissue around the eye. Then a sharp pain, undoubtedly enhanced by spells, so intense that he nearly blacked out despite the spells put on him, coursed through his head. It was only seconds later that the tug registered on him. The tug that had signalled Kil'jaeden tearing the eye from Dethrox's head.

But strangely, the eye was still intact, and lay upon Kil'jaeden's open palm, turned towards Dethrox. And even more strangely, and most likely impossibly, he could still see through the eye, see himself. While pain still wrecked his head, he found himself fascinated by the hole in his own head. An intense blackness it was. The bone, the brow ridge and cheekbone, around the wound had been torn to pieces and were only held somewhat in place by bits of skin and torn muscle.

Then a new spell impacted Dethrox, impacted the socket where the eye should have been. When he found himself capable of registering anything again, Dethrox saw that the bone had gone back in place and had healed. Only a gaping black hole, and thick scars that seemed to glow with black energy, remained where the eye had been.

Then, Kil'jaeden suddenly dropped him. "You are in luck. . . I have things to attend to. . ." Some minion must have signalled something to the demon lord telepathically.

Dethrox looked up, Kil'jaeden beamed a wrathful gaze back. It was clear the demon lord would much rather continue, but the Legion needed to be lead. Kil'jaeden turned around and started towards a newly formed portal that would no doubt take him away from this wasteland that was only there for Dethrox's torture.

_Enough! I have had enough! _Dethrox roared mentally, knowing the demon lord would notice. Kil'jaeden had indeed noticed and was already turning around. Dethrox had planned this almost since the moment his torture had begun, perhaps even before. He had used what little time he had during the small pauses in between sessions of torture to find the necessary spells. Dethrox's first doubts in the Legion had started long ago, before the first invasion of the Legion of Azeroth even. But recently, not in small part thanks to that pesky orc Talgrun, those doubts had increased greatly.

_I will not serve any longer! _"Is that so?" Kil'jaeden rumbled, but then his face changed to intense surprise upon figuring out Dethrox's plan, and even more so upon feeling the power Dethrox was now using. He was using what he took from Archimonde. And part of that power was part of the world of Azeroth, the place he intended to go. The power that had once belonged to the World Tree acted like a guiding wire. He knew exactly how to perform the spell as effectively as possible, and thus, even though he had far less power to work with than when he had travelled from Azeroth to the Twisting Nether, he succeeded in creating a stable portal for a single second, but he would not have enough power to change his mind and go back to the Nether or a different world. The last thing he saw before fading out of the Nether was Kil'jaeden squashing his eye along with the look of ultimate surprise and anger upon the demon lord's face. The sudden burst of pain had nearly collapsed his spell, but he managed to keep it intact.

A moment of blackness followed.

But then he suddenly found himself in a familiar place. A barren location, but a familiar and far better one than the one where he had been but moments before.

But for a while longer he couldn't care less where he was exactly. He remained tense, waiting for something to happen. Something that would indicate Kil'jaeden striking him down from within the Nether, or having created a portal himself. But there were no such things. Everything remained quiet. Serenely quiet. Either the demon lord had been unwilling, or incapable of coming after him. It was most likely the latter, for Kil'jaeden would not have the same advantages of a 'guiding wire', immense amounts of power to draw on and knowledge of where he was going as Dethrox had.

He let out an immense sigh of relief and only then started to take real notice of his surrounding.

Sand grinded underneath his hooves, a feeling he had never imagined could feel so very good. A slight breeze grazed his broken skin. The sun shone down on him. He let out another sigh, but instead of relief as before, it was a sigh of joy, and looked around. There were trees here and there, but mostly there were just barren plains. He was standing on a slight hill. On one side there was something of interest. Ruins they were. Ruins of both stone structures and wooden structures, but they had been abandoned for a while now, some of them were even burned down.

It took him a while to recognise it, but then he did find a mental image of what it been like when all the buildings had still been intact. An immense encampment of both the Horde and the Alliance in the northern Barrens, an encampment he had nearly razed to the ground. It seemed the ruins were not completely abandoned though. He could see small groups of shambling undead as well as other small groups, up to five a piece, that were evidently hunting the undead for whatever purpose. Every time a group of undead died, the hunters would approach to search for valuables.

_I must not end up like those undead. . . _He told himself. _Hunted like some beast. _He sighed as he witnessed one of the groups, his eyes were sharp enough to see the individuals clearly, engaging a group of undead, creatures he had once commanded. The group of five made short work of the somewhat larger group of undead. His train of thought eventually lead him towards that pesky orc named Talgrun that had both directly and indirectly been the cause of his current condition as well as his troubles. He had fought many opponents before he had even laid eyes upon that orc, any orc for that matter, yet Talgrun had managed to survive, even hurt him, each time. Spells that would normally have torn an enemy apart, the orc merely shrugged of.

The train of thought inevitably lead to a curiosity, or rather a question. How had that orc survived all those times? He could remember that the orc had something about him, something old and powerful. Something magical, yet the orc himself had never displayed any such abilities. An amulet or artefact then? Perhaps that was what gave the orc the strength to shrug of attacks that killed most enemies. But then again, he had not noticed this aura the first time they had met. And even then the orc had survived. _But that does not take away that whatever it was he had with him might be something very powerful. . . If I'm to be stuck on this world, I might keep myself busy by finding out what it was he had._

He looked down on his own body, or rather what was left of his body. Now that the spells Kil'jaeden had put on him were gone, he felt great, even though he shouldn't judging by the state of his body. Pieces of skin were hanging loose, while bones showed through wounds in other places, yet he hardly felt anything. The memory of other, far more painful, experiences were still fresh, fresh enough to remind him that these wounds were nothing compared to those he had before, although he knew well enough that if he didn't do something about them soon they could very well be fatal. His hand went up to the empty left eye socket. It would take a very long time to repair all the damage, and even then it might not be possible to replace the eye, Kil'jaeden had most likely made sure of that. _But when I am ready. . . I have an or--_

His train of thought was rudely interrupted by a shout. "By the Light!" He heard someone shout in common. "It's UGLY!" The tone of the voice as if what had been said had been a mixture of something extremely serious as well as something extremely funny. The exclamation was followed by laughter from several others.

It was not so much anger at the insult, he knew well enough he did not make for a pretty picture in his current state, but irritation at the interruption that made Dethrox turn around in anger. Before him stood a group much like those that were hunting the undead in the ruined encampment below. There were two dwarves, two humans and even a night-elf. None of them he recalled having seen before. All looked young and full of confidence, and they obviously had no idea what they were getting themselves into. These were obviously not soldiers, more like adventurers looking for fame and glory. Their equipment seemed to be of decent quality though, so perhaps they were more experienced then had seemed at first glance.

One of them, a dwarf in full plate armour, stepped forward and taunted, "Come, scarface! I'm sure your horn will ge--" A single swipe of Dethrox's hand and the armour was torn of the dwarf, along with the skin and muscles. The broken husk dropped to the ground instantly when the spell had passed. The others looked at the dwarf in surprise. None moved a muscle out of fear. _Their mistake! _A trio of spells later the others were down on the ground as well, either dead or dying quickly.

The spells had taxed him far more than they normally would have, but he had managed quite easily nonetheless, leaving him free to complete his earlier thoughts. _But when I am ready. . . I have an orc to visit. . . I just hope he hasn't died of old age when that time comes. _

**End!**

* * *

Phew. . . The egg has been laid in it's entirety! That took quite a while. It has taken over one year and to many freakin' pages to count (actually, it's around 375 pages in my complete file)! And if you're reading this, it means you most likely read through it all (Assuming nobody just skipped to the end to find out how it ends) and for that I thank you. And, considering you read through it all, you most likely liked it as well, which I'll thank you for as well. I kindly ask you to leave a message whether you really did like it (or perhaps a bit of criticism to help me in the future as well?).

Looking back, I realize that when I begun, I had planned (most) of the general story line, but some things just happened naturally while I was writing. For example, the whole Talgrun/Xani thing, I hadn't planned that in the beginning, I thought I would never be able to pull it of convincingly. I think I did okay, though. Dethrox is another example of it, as well as Gar, Zarius and the Broxigar cameo, amongst others which refuse to come to mind so quickly.

Anyway, plans for future stories are underway. Many of them in fact, ranging from crossovers to sequels to prequels to new stuff all together.

Anyhoo, I'd be glad to hear from you, and it doesn't matter if you have anything constructive to say or not (although constructive is always good).

See you when I see you.


End file.
